Major Racing Events > Breeders’ Cup > Distaff
| 2020 Distaff Contenders | History |Records|Past Results
2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff
The 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff will be held at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Saturday November 6th.
Information and winners of the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series races for the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff:
| DATE | RACE | COUNTRY | WINNER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1/21 | Gran Premio Criadores | Argentina | Blue Stripe (ARG) |
| 6/5/21 | Ogden Phipps Handicap | USA | Letruska |
| 6/26/21 | Fleur de Lis Stakes | USA | Letruska |
| 8/1/21 | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | USA | Shedaresthedevil |
| 8/28/21 | The Personal Ensign | USA | Letruska |
| 10/3/21 | Zenyatta Stakes | USA | Private Mission |
| 10/10/21 | Spinster Stakes | USA | Letruska |
2020 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Results & Payouts
Final results and payouts for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Distaff:
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
| 10 | Monomoy Girl | Florent Geroux | $4.00 / $3.00 / $2.40 |
| 8 | Valiance | Luis Saez | $8.80 / $5.60 |
| 3 | Dunbar Road | Jose Ortiz | $8.00 |
| 2 | Harvest Moon | Flavien Prat | |
| 1 | Ce Ce | John Velazquez | |
| 7 | Point of Honor | Javier Castellano | |
| 5 | Swiss Skydiver | Robby Alvarado | |
| 9 | Ollie’s Candy | Joel Rosario | |
| 4 | Horologist | Junior Alvarado | |
| 6 | Lady Kate | Tyler Gaffalione |
Exotic Payouts:
- $1.00 Exacta (10-8) Paid: $21.30
- $0.50 Trifecta (10-8-3) Paid: $131.35
- $0.10 Superfecta (10-8-3-2) Paid: $179.01
The BC Distaff History
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff brings together the best female dirt horses for a championship showdown. The Breeders’ Cup Distaff was first run in 1984 during the inaugural run of the world championships. It is a 1 1/8th mile race on dirt designed for fillies and mares ages three-years-old and up. While it has a purse of $2,000,000 it is also one of the marquee events of the entire weekend.
Known as the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classicbetween 2008 and 2012, the Distaff was formerly the final race on the first day of the two-day event, but now resides as the penultimate race for Saturday. From 1984 through 1986, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was held over 1 ¼ miles. Hall of Famers Princess Rooney scored victory in 1984 while Lady’s Secret won in 1986. Life’s Magic was the winner in 1985 and was also the Eclipse Award winner for Champion Older Female Horse that same season.
A total of 14 post time favorites have won the Distaff, but the biggest long shot to prevail was Spain (2000), when she cashed in at Churchill Downs at 55-1 odds for jockey Mike Smith and trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Other big long shots to win the Distaff include One Dreamer (47-1) in 1994, and Adoration (40-1) in 2003.
Two of the most memorable Distaff races in Breeders’ Cup history occurred in 1988 and 2016. The 1988 Distaff featured Personal Ensign, who in the final racer of her career and looking hopelessly beaten a few strides from the wire, caught Winning Colors to notch her 13th straight win.
The 2016 Distaff was a showcase of the undefeated Songbird and the great older mare Beholder. In a sensational stretch duel in which the two superstars went head-to-head and kept on determinedly, Beholder got the bob at the wire to win by a nose in what was also the final race of her career with more that $6 million in earnings and a winner 18 times in 26 starts with 6 runner up finishes.
The 1990 Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park was one of the saddest days in the event’s history. Go for Wand, the brilliant filly and champion, broke down in the stretch during the running of the Distaff and had to be euthanized.
Zenyatta won the 2008 Ladies’ Classic. She returned in 2009 and won the Breeders’ Cup Classic against males. She is the only female racer to ever complete that historic double. Zenyatta finished a close second to winner Blame in the 2010 BC Classic in the only loss of her career.
Other notable winners of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff include Personal Ensign in 1988, Azeri in 2002, Ashado in 2004, and Untapable in 2014. All of them are Hall of Fame winners.
In other words, winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff thrusts you into an upper echelon of talent. It is largely considered the most prestigious race for a filly or mare to win in the entire sport. The event was even rebranded as the “Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic” from 2008 until 2012 but then reverted back to its original namesake.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff Historical Records
The 1 1/8 mile race in 2013 saw Beholder run the fastest time for the Breeders’ Cup event since 2000, when Beholder cruised home in 1:47.77. But the fastest time in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff history is 1:46.15 by Inside Information in 1995, who also did so by the largest margin in the races history (13 ½ lengths).
Four horses have won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff twice. Bayokoa was the first to do so in 1989 and 1990. Royal Delta repeated the feat in 2011 and 2012. Beholder was the third to do this having first won in decisive fashion in 2013. She then ran against Songbird in 2016 in one of the most exhilarating races ever and edged her rival in a photo finish. With a win in 2020, Monomoy Girl became the forth after capturing a win in 2018.
Jockey Mike Smith rode her to victory, and he’s ridden a record five Distaff winners. Trainer Bill Mott has also won the race a record five times.
| YEAR | HORSE (AGE) | JOCKEY / TRAINER | TIME / VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Monomoy Girl (5) | Florent Geroux / Brad H. Cox | 1:47.84 / Keeneland |
| 2019 | Blue Prize (ARG) (6) | Joe Bravo / Ignacio Correas IV | 1:50.50 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2018 | Monomoy Girl (3) | Florent Geroux / Brad H. Cox | 1:49.79 / Churchill Downs |
| 2017 | Forever Unbridled (5) | John Velazquez / Dallas Stewart | 1:50.25 / Del Mar Racetrack |
| 2016 | Beholder (6) | Gary Stevens / Richard Mandella | 1:49.22 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2015 | Stopchargingmaria (4) | Javier Castellano / Todd Pletcher | 1:48.98 / Keeneland |
| 2014 | Untapable (3) | Rosie Napravnik / Steve Asmussen | 1:48.68 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2013 | Beholder (3) | Gary Stevens / Richard Mandella | 1:47.77 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2012 | Royal Delta (4) | Mike E. Smith / William I. Mott | 1:48.80 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2011 | Royal Delta (3) | Jose Lezcano / William I. Mott | 1:50.78 / Churchill Downs |
| 2010 | Unrivaled Belle (4) | Kent Desormeaux / William I. Mott | 1:50.04 / Churchill Downs |
| 2009 | Life Is Sweet (4) | Garrett K. Gomez / John Shirreffs | 1:48.58 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2008 | Zenyatta (4) | Mike E. Smith / John Shirreffs | 1:46.85 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2007 | Ginger Punch (4) | Rafael Bejarano / Robert J. Frankel | 1:50.11 / Monmouth Park |
| 2006 | Round Pond (4) | Edgar Prado / Michael R. Matz | 1:50.50 / Churchill Downs |
| 2005 | Pleasant Home (4) | Cornelio Velásquez / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:48.34 / Belmont Park |
| 2004 | Ashado (3) | John Velazquez / Todd Pletcher | 1:48.26 / Lone Star Park |
| 2003 | Adoration (4) | Pat Valenzuela / David Hofmans | 1:49.17 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2002 | Azeri (4) | Mike E. Smith / Laura de Seroux | 1:48.64 / Santa Anita Park |
| 2001 | Unbridled Elaine (3) | Pat Day / Dallas Stewart | 1:49.21 / Arlington Park |
| 2000 | Spain (3) | Victor Espinoza / D. Wayne Lukas | 1:47.66 / Belmont Park |
| 1999 | Beautiful Pleasure (4) | Jorge F. Chavez / John T. Ward Jr. | 1:47.56 / Churchill Downs |
| 1998 | Escena (5) | Gary Stevens / William I. Mott | 1:49.89 / Gulfstream Park |
| 1997 | Ajina (3) | Mike E. Smith / William I. Mott | 1:47.20 / Churchill Downs |
| 1996 | Jewel Princess (4) | Corey Nakatani / Wallace Dollase | 1:48.40 / Hollywood Park |
| 1995 | Inside Information (4) | Mike E. Smith / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:46.15 / Woodbine |
| 1994 | One Dreamer (6) | Gary Stevens / Thomas F. Proctor | 1:50.79 / Belmont Park |
| 1993 | Hollywood Wildcat (3) | Ed Delahoussaye / Neil Drysdale | 1:48.35 / Churchill Downs |
| 1992 | Paseana (ARG) (5) | Chris McCarron / Ron McAnally | 1:48.17 / Santa Anita Park |
| 1991 | Dance Smartly (3) | Pat Day / James E. Day | 1:50.95 / Gulfstream Park |
| 1990 | Bayakoa (ARG) (6) | Laffit Pincay Jr. / Ron McAnally | 1:49.20 / Churchill Downs |
| 1989 | Bayakoa (ARG) (5) | Laffit Pincay Jr. / Ron McAnally | 1:47.40 / Belmont Park |
| 1988 | Personal Ensign (4) | Randy Romero / C. R. McGaughey III | 1:52.00 / Gulfstream Park |
| 1987 | Sacahuista (3) | Randy Romero / D. Wayne Lukas | 2:02.80 / Churchill Downs |
| 1986 | Lady's Secret (4) | Pat Day / D. Wayne Lukas | 2:01.20 / Hollywood Park |
| 1985 | Life's Magic (4) | Ángel Cordero Jr. / D. Wayne Lukas | 2:02.00 / Santa Anita Park |
| 1984 | Princess Rooney (4) | Ed Delahoussaye / Neil Drysdale | 2:02.40 / Aqueduct |
Past Breeders’ Cup Distaff Results, Contenders and Odds
2019 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Entries & Morning Line Odds
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Morning Line Odds | Jockey |
| 1 | Paradise Woods | John A. Shirreffs | 5-1 | Abel Cedillo |
| 2 | Ollie’s Candy | John W. Sadler | 15-1 | Joel Rosario |
| 3 | Street Band | J. Larry Jones | 10-1 | Sophie Doyle |
| 4 | Midnight Bisou | Steven M. Asmussen | 6-5 | Mike Smith |
| 5 | Dunbar Road | Chad C. Brown | 6-1 | Jose Ortiz |
| 6 | Wow Cat (CHI) | Chad C. Brown | 15-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. |
| 7 | Secret Spice | Richard Baltas | 10-1 | John Velazquez |
| 8 | La Force (GER) | Patrick Gallagher | 30-1 | Drayden Van Dyke |
| 9 | Serengeti Empress | Thomas M. Amoss | 12-1 | Flavien Prat |
| 10 | Mo See Cal | Peter Miller | 30-1 | Paco Lopez |
| 11 | Blue Prize (ARG) | Ignacio Correas | 6-1 | Joe Bravo |
2016 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Recap
The 2016 Breeders’ Cup World Championships was held from November 4th through the 5th at the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, California. It was the 33rd edition of the Breeders’ Cup.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup did not lack for excitement, and the Distaff provided just that in the form of a photo finish between Beholder and Songbird. In the fourth and final race of the first day of the World Championship meet, the battle between Champions Songbird, the 4-5 pre-race favorite, and Beholder (5-2 odds) was an epic experience for anyone fortunate enough to be in attendance.
Songbird led for a majority of the 1 1/8-mile race, leading the pack after halfway through the race, but it was Beholder who made a move in the stretch to catch up to Songbird and ultimately come ahead by a neck in a winning time of 1:49.20. Finishing in third, 1 ¼ lengths behind, was Forever Unbridled.
Not only did Beholder win her third Breeders’ Cup, but she also ended Songbird’s unbeaten streak. Heading into the Distaff, Songbird compiled a record of 11-0, including a win in last year’s 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
“That was a hell of a way to go out,” said jockey Gary Stevens, referring to the race being Beholder’s last of her career. Trainer Richard Mandella earned his ninth career Breeders’ Cup win.
Beholder paid $8.60, $3.60, and $3.00 across the board for the win. She retires with a career record of 18-6-0 in 26 career starts, and earned $6,156,600.