2021 Breeders' Cup Distaff: Field shapes up with international feel
An eclectic field of 10 is expected at Monday’s pre-entry deadline for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and this year, for a change, the Distaff clearly reflects the international feel of Breeders’ Cup.
It is a new look for a race historically dominated by North American runners. Except for Bayakoa, Paseana and Blue Prize – Argentina expatriates who reestablished credentials in the United States prior to Breeders’ Cup wins – the Distaff is mostly for the home team.
In the 37-year history of the Distaff, only nine runners made their last start outside North America. None hit the board in the Distaff.
But the 2021 Distaff field is loaded with firsts, beginning with the favorite.
Letruska, who won her first six starts in Mexico City, is the first Breeders’ Cup starter for renowned Mexican trainer Fausto Gutierrez. A streaking front-runner, Letruska is 8-5 on the early Distaff odds line by Daily Racing Form.
Marche Lorraine will be the first Japanese runner in the Distaff. The trailblazing import, whose Breeders’ Cup plan was reported last week by Thoroughbred Daily News, ships in with an 8-for-20 record and is due to arrive Oct. 22, according to Breeders’ Cup officials. Marche Lorraine is listed at 30-1 by DRF.
The field includes Blue Stripe, the first horse this year to capture a Win and You’re In race for the Distaff. Group 1 winner Blue Stripe, from Argentina, will make her first U.S. start in the Distaff. It is a tall order for a filly who has not raced since May 1, though sibling Blue Prize won the 2019 Distaff and her new rider is fourth all time in BC wins – 14-time winner Frankie Dettori.
Blue Stripe won 4 of 6 in Argentina, all for trainer Nicolas Martin Ferro, including her most recent start in the Group 1 Gran Premio Criadores, a Win and You’re In. Blue Stripe has been stabled with trainer Marcelo Polanco in California since spring. Polanco early this week confirmed the riding assignment on Blue Stripe, listed 30-1 by DRF.
Closer to home, the probable Distaff field includes a host of in-form U.S. runners expected to dominate the betting. Letruska won the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes last out. Royal Flag, Shedaresthedevil, and 3-year-olds Malathaat, Clairiere, and Private Mission each enters the Distaff off a win in a graded stakes.
Following the final round of Distaff prep races on Oct. 10, the ensuing week was relatively quiet. Bonny South, third in the Spinster, will skip the Distaff. Trainer Brad Cox said she would aim to the Grade 2 Falls City on Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs.
Cox and jockey Florent Geroux will team with Shedaresthedevil in search of their third Distaff victory in four years, having won with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and 2020.
Clairiere will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., who was back aboard for her victory in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing. Santana and trainer Steve Asmussen are seeking a second BC win together, having won the 2019 Sprint with Mitole.
Asmussen’s seven BC wins include the 2014 Distaff with Cotillion winner Untapable, and the 2017 Classic with Gun Runner when the event was last held at Del Mar.
Horologist, runner-up in the Grade 2 Beldame won by Royal Flag, would give jockey Junior Alvarado his first Breeders’ Cup win. Alvarado’s best Breeders’ Cup finish from 10 mounts was on 2020 Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice.
Horologist is trained by Bill Mott, whose 10 BC wins include five in the Distaff.
Dunbar Road, the Spinster runner-up, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, who guided her to a third-place finish in the 2020 Distaff. Dunbar Road was ridden by Flavien Prat in the Spinster; Prat will ride Private Mission in the Distaff. Chad Brown trains Dunbar Road and also Beldame winner Royal Flag, whose rider is Joel Rosario.
As Time Goes By, briefly the top distance female in California with two Grade 2 route wins in spring before tailing off, remains unconfirmed.
“We’re still on the fence,” trainer Bob Baffert said.
As Time Goes By finished second last out in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes, won by Baffert-trained Private Mission.
The 10 likely Distaff pre-entrants, with riders in order of early odds: Letruska, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Shedaresthedevil, Geroux; Malathaat, John Velazquez; Royal Flag, Rosario; Clairiere, Santana; Horologist, Alvarado; Blue Stripe, Dettori; Private Mission, Prat; Dunbar Road, Jose Ortiz; and Marche Lorraine, rider unconfirmed. As Time Goes By, ridden last out by five-time Distaff winner Mike Smith, would make a pre-entry field of 11.