Untapable among 12 pre-entered in Distaff

ARCADIA, Calif. – Untapable is training so well it is scary. Good timing for Halloween, when she tries to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable and multiple Grade 1 winner Close Hatches are the principals among 12 fillies and mares pre-entered in the Grade 1 Distaff, a 1 1/8-mile race that highlights the Oct. 31 card on Breeders’ Cup Friday.

While the Saturday card includes nine Breeders’ Cup races led by the Classic, the Friday program includes four Breeders’ Cup races. They are the Distaff, Dirt Mile and a pair of one-mile turf races for 2-year-olds – the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Distaff favoritism is a tight call between Untapable and Close Hatches, but there is little doubt in the Dirt Mile. Goldencents is the 8-5 favorite by Daily Racing Form as he tries for a second consecutive Dirt Mile victory. Goldencents and Fed Biz are among a field of 12 pre-entered in the Dirt Mile.

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Both Breeders’ Cup turf races Friday attracted overflow fields – 20 entered the Juvenile Turf, 19 entered the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Wesley Ward trains early DRF favorites Hootenanny and Sunset Glow.

Hootenanny is 9-2 in the Juvenile Turf over Europe-based War Envoy and Aktabantay. Sunset Glow is 7-2 in the Juvenile Fillies Turf over Europe-based Osaila and Qualify. A key defection from the Juvenile Fillies Turf pre-entries will be Her Emmynency, who colicked and will not enter.

The Distaff also took a hit. Beholder, the 2013 Distaff winner and preliminary 2014 favorite, got sick Sunday, was medicated, and did not pre-enter. Remaining in the Distaff pre-entry field are six Grade 1 winners – Untapable, Close Hatches, Don’t Tell Sophia, Belle Gallantey, Iotapa, and Ria Antonia.

Untapable is the early 2-1 favorite by DRF. She shipped to California immediately after winning the Grade 1 Cotillion on Sept. 20 at Parx Racing. Steve Asmussen trains Untapable, whose September arrival allowed her time to settle in. The plan has worked.

Untapable has trained exceptionally well at Santa Anita, including an impressive five-furlong work Sunday in 58.60 seconds. Beyond the Oaks and Cotillion, she also won the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park. Rosie Napravnik rids Untapable, who has won seven of 10 races and earned $1,896,725. The Distaff is her first start against older fillies and mares.

Close Hatches might have inherited Distaff favoritism but for a puzzling effort last out. After starting the year by winning four straight, including three Grade 1s, she was 1-5 to win in the Spinster Stakes on Oct. 5 at Keeneland. Close Hatches misfired, finishing fourth.

Close Hatches reportedly has trained forwardly at Belmont Park since and enters with the glossiest résumé. She has won nine of 13 and earned $2,707,300. A 4-year-old trained by Bill Mott, Close Hatches finished second in the 2013 Distaff. Joel Rosario is her rider.

Don’t Tell Sophia exploited the Close Hatches misfire to score her first Grade 1 win in the Spinster. A 6-year-old with 11 wins and earnings of $979,295 from 22 starts, Don’t Tell Sophia will be the first Santa Anita starter for trainer Phil Sims. Joe Rocco is her rider.

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Belle Gallantey was a $20,000 claiming filly in the summer of 2012, the last time she raced in California. She took her game to a higher level after Rudy Rodriguez claimed her for $35,000 last December at Aqueduct. Since then, she has won five races, including two Grade 1s. Jose Ortiz rides the 5-year-old front-runner.

Iotapa is a two-time Grade 1 winner entering the Distaff off a troubled third in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes. A front-runner, Iotapa broke slowly and also bled. Joe Talamo rides Iotapa, trained by John Sadler, with six wins and earnings of $832,796 from 13 starts. Iotapa was claimed for $50,000 from her career debut in 2012.

Ria Antonia finished second in the Spinster; her most recent win was the 2013 BC Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, where she was second across the wire but moved up to first after She’s a Tiger was disqualified. Tom Amoss is Ria Antonia’s fourth trainer.

Tiz Midnight finished second in the Zenyatta; Parranda and L’Amour de Ma Vie were cross-entered in the Filly and Mare Turf; Valiant Emilia won a BC Challenge race in Peru; and Stanwyck and Unbridled Forever complete the Distaff pre-entry list.