Breeders' Cup Distaff

Breeders' Cup Distaff

Grade I race
Location	North America
Inaugurated	1984
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance	1 ^1⁄8 miles (9 Furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Fillies & Mare, three-years-old & up
Weight	Assigned
Purse	US$2,000,000

The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Starting with the 2008 Breeders' Cup, the Distaff will be the final race on the first day of the two-day event.

Distance : 1 ¹⁄₄ miles (1984–1987); 1 ¹⁄₈ miles (1988 to present).

Automatic berths

Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed "The Breeders' Cup Challenge," a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to the winners of defined races. Each of the thirteen divisions has between two and ten of these "Win and You're In" qualifying races.

In the Breeders' Cup Distaff Division the number of runners is limited to 14 with up to seven automatic berths. Note though that one horse may win multiple challenge races, while other challenge winners will not be entered in the Breeders' Cup for a variety of reasons such as injury or travel considerations.

The 2016 "Win and You're In" races are:^[1]

1. the Gran Premio Criadores, a Group 1 race run in May at Hipódromo de Palermo in Argentina
2. the Ogden Phipps Stakes, a Grade 1 race run in June at Belmont Park in New York
3. the Fleur de Lis Handicap, a Grade 2 race run in June at Churchill Downs in Kentucky
4. the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap, a Grade 1 race run in July at Del Mar Racetrack in California
5. the Personal Ensign Handicap, a Grade 1 race run in August at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York
6. Zenyatta Stakes, a Grade 1 race run in October at Santa Anita Park in California
7. the Spinster Stakes, a Grade 1 race at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky

Records

Most wins:

• 2 - Bayakoa (ARG) (1989, 1990)
• 2 - Royal Delta (2011, 2012)
• 2 - Beholder (2013, 2016)

Stakes record: Not applicable, as the race is run at different tracks

Most wins by a jockey:

• 5 - Mike Smith (1995, 1997, 2002, 2008, 2012)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - William I. Mott (1997, 1998, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Allen Paulson (1997, 1998, 2002)

Winners of the Breeders' Cup Distaff

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time	Purse	Grd
2016	Beholder	6	Gary Stevens	Richard Mandella	Spendthrift Farm	1:49.22	$2,000,000	I
2015	Stopchargingmaria	4	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher	Town And Country Farms	1:48.98	$2,000,000	I
2014	Untapable	3	Rosie Napravnik	Steve Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1:48.68	$2,000,000	I
2013	Beholder	3	Gary Stevens	Richard Mandella	Spendthrift Farm	1:47.77	$2,000,000	I
2012	Royal Delta	4	Mike E. Smith	William I. Mott	Besilu Stables	1:48.80	$2,000,000	I
2011	Royal Delta	3	Jose Lezcano	William I. Mott	Palides Investments	1:50.78	$2,000,000	I
2010	Unrivaled Belle	4	Kent Desormeaux	William I. Mott	Gary Seidler & Pete Vegso	1:50.04	$2,000,000	I
2009	Life Is Sweet	4	Garrett K. Gomez	John Shirreffs	Pam & Martin Wygod	1:48.58	$2,000,000	I
2008	Zenyatta	4	Mike E. Smith	John Shirreffs	Ann & Jerry Moss	1:46.85	$2,000,000	I
2007	Ginger Punch	4	Rafael Bejarano	Robert J. Frankel	Stronach Stables	1:50.11	$2,000,000	I
2006	Round Pond	4	Edgar Prado	Michael R. Matz	Fox Hill Farm	1:50.50	$2,000,000	I
2005	Pleasant Home	4	Cornelio Velasquez	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:48.34	$2,000,000	I
2004	Ashado	3	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher	Starlight Stables et al.	1:48.26	$1,000,000	I
2003	Adoration	4	Pat Valenzuela	David Hofmans	Amerman Racing	1:49.17	$1,000,000	I
2002	Azeri	4	Mike E. Smith	Laura de Seroux	Allen E. Paulson	1:48.64	$1,000,000	I
2001	Unbridled Elaine	3	Pat Day	Dallas Stewart	Roger J. Devenport	1:49.21	$1,000,000	I
2000	Spain	3	Victor Espinoza	D. Wayne Lukas	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1:47.66	$1,000,000	I
1999	Beautiful Pleasure	4	Jorge F. Chavez	John T. Ward, Jr.	John C. Oxley	1:47.56	$1,000,000	I
1998	Escena	5	Gary Stevens	William I. Mott	Allen E. Paulson	1:49.89	$1,000,000	I
1997	Ajina	3	Mike E. Smith	William I. Mott	Allen E. Paulson	1:47.20	$1,000,000	I
1996	Jewel Princess	4	Corey Nakatani	Wallace Dollase	M & R Stephen/TTC	1:48.40	$1,000,000	I
1995	Inside Information	4	Mike E. Smith	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Mills Phipps	1:46.15	$1,000,000	I
1994	One Dreamer	6	Gary Stevens	Thomas F. Proctor	Glen Hill Farm	1:50.79	$1,000,000	I
1993	Hollywood Wildcat	3	Ed Delahoussaye	Neil Drysdale	Irving & Marjorie Cowan	1:48.35	$1,000,000	I
1992	Paseana (ARG)	5	Chris McCarron	Ron McAnally	Sidney H. Craig	1:48.17	$1,000,000	I
1991	Dance Smartly	3	Pat Day	James E. Day	Sam-Son Farm	1:50.95	$1,000,000	I
1990	Bayakoa (ARG)	6	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Ron McAnally	Frank & Janis Whitham	1:49.20	$1,000,000	I
1989	Bayakoa (ARG)	5	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Ron McAnally	Frank & Janis Whitham	1:47.40	$1,000,000	I
1988	Personal Ensign	4	Randy Romero	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	1:52.00	$1,000,000	I
1987	Sacahuista	3	Randy Romero	D. Wayne Lukas	B. A. Beal & L. R. French	2:02.80†	$1,000,000	I
1986	Lady's Secret	4	Pat Day	D. Wayne Lukas	Eugene V. Klein	2:01.20†	$1,000,000	I
1985	Life's Magic	4	Angel Cordero, Jr.	D. Wayne Lukas	Mel Hatley/Gene Klein	2:02.00†	$1,000,000	I
1984	Princess Rooney	4	Ed Delahoussaye	Neil Drysdale	Paula J. Tucker	2:02.40†	$1,000,000	I

† - 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 races were run at 1 ¹⁄₄ miles

See also

• Breeders' Cup Distaff "top three finishers" and starters
• American Thoroughbred Racing top Attended Events

References

1. "Breeders' Cup Challenge". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 7 June 2016.

External links

• Official Breeders' Cup website
• Ten Things You Should Know about the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic at Hello Race Fans!
• Three Great Moments: Breeders' Cup Distaff at Hello Race Fans!