The fastest two-turn filly in North America is the early favorite among 14 fillies and mares pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Fourteen are allowed to start in the Distaff, which will be run Nov. 1 at Del Mar, and they’ll all be chasing the front-runner Seismic Beauty.
Bob Baffert trains Seismic Beauty, whose 110 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch in summer at Del Mar is the highest of the year by a filly or mare around two turns. That does not make her the automatic winner of the Distaff, but it’s a good start.
Seismic Beauty, 4, is expected to set the Distaff pace in her first start since she won the Hirsch on Aug. 2. If she wires the field, her 91-day layoff will be the longest ever by a Distaff winner.
Baffert is seeking his first Distaff win, as his 10 previous starters produced one runner-up finish. Seismic Beauty’s regular rider, Juan Hernandez, is seeking his first win in a Breeders’ Cup race.
Nitrogen is the most accomplished of a quartet of 3-year-old pre-entrants. Nitrogen won five graded stakes this year, including the Grade 1 Alabama. She finished second last out in the Grade 1 Spinster, her first start against older horses. Mark Casse trains Nitrogen, while Jose Ortiz is her rider.
Three-year-olds get a three-pound weight break (121 to 124) and have won the Distaff 12 times.
Dorth Vader will be making her first start since finishing a nose behind now-retired Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 23 at Saratoga. Dorth Vader previously won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps in June at Saratoga. George Weaver trains the 5-year-old, whose rider is John Velazquez.
Gin Gin wired the Spinster on Oct. 5, her first start in more than three months. The 4-year-old filly is trained by Brendan Walsh; her rider is Luis Saez. Walsh also pre-entered Clicquot, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Parx Racing. Flavien Prat will ride Clicquot in the Distaff.
Dry Powder, trained by Chad Summers, finished second in the Cotillion. Her Distaff rider is Antonio Fresu. Scottish Lassie finished fourth in the Cotillion after winning the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. Her trainer is Jorge Abreu; her rider for the Distaff is unconfirmed.
Sarawak Rim won a BC Challenge race in Argentina in May and has been training in Kentucky for her North American debut in California for trainer Ignacio Correas. Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Clicquot to victory in the Cotillion, will ride Sarawak Rim in the Distaff.
Argine and Alice Verite are Distaff pre-entrants from Japan, trained respectively by Mitsumasa Nakauchida and Kazuya Nakatake. Argine also is pre-entered in the BC Mile (first preference). Alice Verite is pre-entered in the BC Filly and Mare Turf; the Distaff is her first preference. Jockey assignments are pending for the Japan imports.
Regaled won the Grade 3 Delaware Handicap for trainer Whit Beckman and jockey Joseph Ramos. Gun Song won the Beldame for trainer Mark Hennig; a rider decision for the Distaff is pending.
Scylla finished third in the Spinster. She is trained by Bill Mott, the leading Distaff trainer with five wins. Junior Alvarado rode her in the Spinster. Majestic Oops is a listed winner trained by Dan Ward who also is pre-entered in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Ward said Majestic Oops is aiming to the Distaff and will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli.
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