The Breeders' Cup Distaff

Last updated: October 31, 2026 at 4:50 PM EDT

Official 2026 Entries & Morning Line Odds

Race 10 - Post Time: Saturday 10/31 at 4:58 PM (ET)

The BREEDERS' CUP DISTAFF (GI) is a one and 1/8 mile race for 3-year-old and up fillies and mares to be run on the dirt. The race carries a guaranteed purse of $2 million, including travel awards. Official entries and morning line odds are listed below for the 2026 Breeders' Cup.

Information and winners of the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series races for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Stay up-to-date on the winners of the "Win and You're In" Challenge Series races for the Breeders' Cup Distaff

Breeders' Cup Distaff WAYI Starters

Find everything you need to know about the Breeders Cup Distaff Win and You're In starters potentially heading to Keeneland at the end of October. 

Breeders' Cup Distaff Analysis & Handicapping Picks

Our expert handicappers are excited about the upcoming Breeders' Cup Distaff, picks and handicapping are below!

• $20 exacta: 4 with 2,8
• $1 superfecta: 4 with 2,8 with 2,6,8 with ALL

#4 FULLY SUBSCRIBED (8-5): Chad Brown trainee is consistently excellent and was last seen strolling home to a convincing tally in the Spinster (G1) on the surface. The Tiz the Law chestnut has won or placed in each of her 10 lifetime tries, and she also boasts a fine five-for-seven mark at nine furlongs. She drilled a bullet five-eighths leading up to the tilt and will have Flavien Prat on board once again.

RELATED: Tipsheet: 2026 Breeders’ Cup Distaff 

James Scully early thoughts; Nitrogen: Last year’s champion two-year-old filly, Nitrogen will look to make amends after finishing second in last year’s Distaff. And she looks poised for her best based upon the last three starts. The Mark Casse-trained filly just missed the track record, winning the Ogden Phipps (G1) by a dozen lengths and followed with a superb runner-up performance to Sovereignty in the Whitney (G1). Last out, Nitrogen made short work of overmatched rivals in the Beldame (G2) at Belmont Park, and she projects to be one of the shortest-priced favorites on Breeders’ Cup Saturday.

RELATED: 2026 Breeders’ Cup: Top matchups in championship dirt races 

Breeders' Cup Distaff 2025 Results & Payouts

Final results and payouts for the Breeders' Cup Distaff:

Exotic Payouts:

• $1.00 Exacta (4-1) Paid: $30.10
• $0.50 Trifecta (4-1-13) Paid: $163.15
• $0.10 Superfecta (4-1-13-3) Paid: $226.01

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' Classic between 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 16 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 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 six times.

Breeders' Cup Championship Racing List