The $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff has existed as an important segment of the World Championships right from its initial staging in 1984 at Hollywood Park. Its roll of honor reads like an all-star catalog of the sport’s finest female runners.
Among the Distaff victors, one can find luminaries inducted into the Hall of Fame, like Princess Rooney, Lady’s Secret, Personal Ensign, Bayakoa, Dance Smartly, Paseana, Inside Information, Azeri, Ashado, Zenyatta, Royal Delta, and Beholder, alongside the 2024 Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna.
In 2025, which superb female racehorse will carve out her own space in the annals of racing, joining the ranks of the aforementioned legends? Let’s delve into the lineup for this year’s edition of the 1 1/8-mile dirt contest on November 1st at Del Mar. Coverage will be provided on both NBC and FanDuel TV, with streaming available on Peacock, and the anticipated starting gun is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. ET.
Following the official drawing of post positions, alongside morning-line odds, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Cheat Sheet is scheduled for an update on Monday, October 27.
Alice Verite
Jockey: TBD
Trainer: Kazuya Nakatake
Owner: Makoto Kato
Career record: 25 starts – 4 wins – 7 seconds – 4 thirds
Career earnings: $1,020,668
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 101
Pedigree: Kizuna – Lumiere Verite, by Cozzene
Age: 5
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace
Analysis: During last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Alice Verite embarked on both her first-ever American start and initial run on dirt, presenting herself as a significant unknown quantity. She exceeded expectations, given her 18.90-1 odds, with a fourth-place result. The manner of her performance was even more noteworthy. Throughout her career, she typically led from the front on grass. However, in last year’s Distaff, Alice Verite had a sluggish beginning, seemingly dashing her chances of a top-three placement. But she demonstrated resilience in the closing stages, eventually finishing just a half-length behind Candied, who secured third place. Nevertheless, it’s important to recall that Alice Verite finished considerably behind the victor, Thorpedo Anna, at Del Mar during the previous year’s Breeders’ Cup. Her Equibase Speed Figure of 101 also falls short compared to the leading speed figures of this year’s primary contenders, and she hasn’t recorded any wins above the Group 3 tier within Japan. Still, if she secures a more favorable start, Alice Verite could show improvement in her second dirt outing and potentially influence the race’s tempo.
Argine
Jockey: Yuga Kawada
Trainer: Mitsumasa Nakauchida
Owner: Lord Horse Club Co.
Career record: 14 starts – 7 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $1,506,418
Top Equibase Speed Figure: N/A
Pedigree: Lord Kanaloa – Quatre Feuilles, by Deep Impact
Age: 5
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Stalker/closer
Analysis: Hailing from Japan, Argine is slated to participate in her career’s inaugural main track competition at the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, following 14 prior races contested on turf courses. She has achieved two group stakes victories in her homeland and showcased her ability by mounting a rally for a fourth-place result in the Group 1 Victoria Mile Stakes this past May, finishing narrowly, beaten only by a neck, amidst a tightly bunched finish. This 5-year-old mare, sired by Lord Kanaloa, made a return from a two-and-a-half-month absence, securing a narrow victory by a head in the roughly 1 1/8-mile Hokkaido Shimbun Hai Queen Stakes, held on August 3. The shift in surface, coupled with the considerable 13-week break, introduces notable doubts concerning Argine’s prospects in the Distaff. Nevertheless, spectators fondly recall Marche Lorraine’s shocking 49.90-1 upset triumph at Del Mar during the 2021 Distaff. It would be judicious to carefully monitor Argine’s progress in the days leading up to the Distaff, especially focusing on her performance during morning training sessions conducted on the dirt main track. She might prove pivotal in setting the stage for yet another substantial Distaff payout. Please note: The connections managing Argine have indicated a preference for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Clicquot
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owners: X-Men Racing IV, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing
Career record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $840,153
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Quality Road – Royal Obsession, by Tapit
Age: 3
Color: Gray or roan
Running style: Stalker/press the pace
Analysis: This relatively inexperienced filly enters the Distaff riding a streak of four consecutive victories. These include three remarkable showings since being stretched out over longer distances. Clicquot began by securing a 1 ¾-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in May at Churchill Downs. She then followed up with an impressive four-length win at the Grade 3 Daily Racing Form Indiana Oaks. Trainer Brendan Walsh decided to test her in higher-level competition at Parx Racing in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes. The Quality Road filly demonstrated her readiness, prevailing by a neck over Dry Powder. She earned a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 107 for her performance in the Cotillion. Moreover, she is positioned to potentially improve, considering she will have had six weeks of rest before her sixth career start. The Distaff will represent her first attempt at the 1 1/8-mile distance. Nevertheless, Clicquot’s versatility enables her to either press the pace or stalk, and she should profit from an expected abundance of early speed. Sol Kumin, representing co-owner Madaket Stables, previously celebrated two Distaff victories as a co-owner of Monomoy Girl.
Dorth Vader
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: George Weaver
Owner: John Ropes
Career record: 17 starts – 5 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $1,018,218
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103
Pedigree: Girvin – Hardcore Candy, by Yonaguska
Age: 5
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: A signature trait of Dorth Vader’s career has been an inconsistency in her performances, yet the 5-year-old mare, whose name is inspired by the Star Wars saga, has shown she is indeed capable of competing against elite contenders. She recently delivered a determined effort, finishing a close second by just a nose to the reigning Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna (who has since been retired), in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 23. Prior to that, she notched her first Grade 1 victory with a dominant 4 ¾-length score in the Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford, held on a sloppy track at Saratoga on June 6. In between those two performances, she had a fourth-place result at 2.20-1 odds in the Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park. This result underscores the issue of consistency that sometimes arises, as Dorth Vader has landed outside the top three in eight of her seventeen career starts. An analysis of Dorth Vader’s Equibase Speed Figures suggests that she would need to achieve a new level of performance in the Distaff to realistically vie for the win.
Dry Powder
Jockey: TBD
Trainer: Chad Summers
Owner: Gold Square
Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $439,400
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Gun Runner – Tell All, by Broken Vow
Age: 3
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Press the pace
Analysis: During the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing on September 20, Dry Powder maintained the lead deep into the stretch, but ultimately could not fend off the late surge of Clicquot, finishing a close second by a neck. Before this, she had recorded an impressive 4 ½-length victory at Parx in the Cathryn Sophia Stakes on August 19. In fact, Dry Powder has showcased consistent performance, securing either first or second place in five out of her six career races. The single exception occurred in the Coaching Club American Oaks, where she finished a distant third in a race marked by unusual circumstances: La Cara, the expected pacesetter, was scratched, leaving Scottish Lassie to control the race uncontested in a small field of four fillies. Dry Powder was beaten by 21 ½ lengths in the CCA Oaks. However, she has since rebounded with two sharp performances that seem more indicative of her true capabilities. She posted a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 107 in the Cotillion and could emerge as a key contender in the Distaff with further improvement. She presents an attractive option for those looking to add excitement to their Distaff exacta and trifecta wagers.
Gin Gin
Jockey: Luis Saez
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owner: Calumet Farm
Career record: 13 starts – 4 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Career earnings: $942,796
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 113
Pedigree: Hightail – Before You Know It, by Hard Spun
Age: 4
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: As a 3-year-old, Gin Gin distinguished herself as a stakes winner and participated in the 2024 Kentucky Oaks. However, this Hightail filly has ascended to a new level of performance during the current season, achieving a pair of graded stakes victories under the guidance of trainer Brendan Walsh. The initial breakthrough occurred at Keeneland on April 18 in the Grade 3 Baird Doubledogdare Stakes. There, she astonished at odds of 38.88-1, powering away to secure a dominant 5 ¼-length victory. Gin Gin then followed up with a second-place finish in a Grade 3 stakes at Churchill Downs, prior to an unplaced performance at the same track in June. She rebounded effectively on October 5 at Keeneland, leading from the start to prevail by a head over the highly regarded Nitrogen in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, with reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna finishing fourth. To emerge as a credible win contender in the Distaff against a talented field lacking a clear standout on November 1 at Del Mar, she would need to replicate her performance in the Spinster, which yielded an Equibase Speed Figure of 113.
Gun Song
Jockey: TBD
Trainer: Mark Hennig
Owner: R. Lee Lewis
Career record: 16 starts – 5 wins – 5 seconds – 2 thirds
Career earnings: $915,720
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103
Pedigree: Gun Runner – Nicole H, by Mr. Greeley
Age: 4
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: Gun Song exhibited considerable potential as a 3-year-old in 2024, securing a victory in the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths and subsequently finishing second, just a neck behind the eventual Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna (since retired), in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes. As a sophomore, she captured two stakes races and secured second place in three others. However, her 4-year-old season has been marked by challenges in maintaining that high level of performance. In her first four starts of 2025, Gun Song’s best effort was a second-place finish in the Obeah Stakes, where she was beaten by three lengths by Malibu Beauty. She also had two unplaced finishes in graded stakes races. Nevertheless, this chestnut filly, sired by Gun Runner, appeared to rediscover her top form on September 26 in the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes, pulling away in the stretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths and ending a six-race winless streak. Gun Song possesses tactical speed and is entering the Distaff following a much-improved showing. However, to have a genuine shot at victory on November 1 at Del Mar, she would likely need to improve her top Equibase Speed Figure by approximately 10 points.
Majestic Oops
Jockey: TBD
Trainer: Dan Ward
Owners: Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable, and Sheila Regan
Career record: 32 starts – 7 wins – 11 seconds – 4 thirds
Career earnings: $616,559
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 104
Pedigree: Majestic Harbor – Miss Oops, by Olmodavor
Age: 5
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace/stalker
Analysis: In 2024, Majestic Oops demonstrated promise by achieving a stakes placing, but the 2025 season has marked her breakthrough, highlighted by two stakes victories under the care of trainer Dan Ward. This 5-year-old mare, sired by Majestic Harbor, embarked on a three-race winning streak from April 6 through June 14, which encompassed triumphs in both the Dig A Diamond Stakes at Oaklawn Park and the Lady’s Secret Stakes (by an impressive 4 ¼ lengths) at Monmouth Park. Subsequently, she was tested against tougher competition, where she acquitted herself well in her initial two attempts, finishing second in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth and third in the Grade 1 Resorts World Ballerina Stakes on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course. She heads into the Distaff after an unplaced finish, beaten by 14 ½ lengths, in the Delaware Handicap on September 28. Furthermore, her speed figures place her slightly below the foremost contenders in this race. Any result beyond a minor placing would come as a surprise.
Nitrogen
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Trainer: Mark Casse
Owner: D. J. Stable
Career record: 11 starts – 6 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Career earnings: $1,706,604
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 112
Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro – Tiffany Case, by Uncle Mo
Age: 3
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace
Analysis: Nitrogen initiated her 3-year-old season with an impressive string of four consecutive stakes victories on turf. However, inclement weather led to the Wonder Again Stakes being moved off the turf course on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course, resulting in this Medaglia d’Oro filly romping to an emphatic 17-length victory on the sloppy main track. Although she returned to the turf for her subsequent start, the Wonder Again performance proved to be a revelation. Two starts later, Nitrogen defeated several of the top 3-year-old dirt fillies in training, securing a 1 ½-length victory in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales, held at a distance of 1 ¼ miles. Next, U.S. and Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse decided to test her against older female competitors in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on October 5 at Keeneland, where she finished a close second, only a head behind the front-running winner, Gin Gin, while achieving a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 112. An exceptional equine athlete is required to achieve success at the graded stakes level across multiple surfaces. Nitrogen is undeniably a special filly with potential for further improvement as she progresses through her 3-year-old campaign. She is a top contender.
Regaled
Jockey: Joe Ramos
Trainer: Whit Beckman
Owners: Ribble Farms and Front Page Equestrian
Career record: 17 starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 3 thirds
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100
Pedigree: Mohaymen – Ascot Walk, by Daaher
Age: 4
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Closer
Analysis: Regaled had been on the verge of securing a stakes victory for over a year before finally achieving that goal with a dominant 6 ¼-length romp in the $400,000 Delaware Handicap on September 28. This Grade 3 victory, contested at the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Distaff, followed a sequence of four consecutive top-three finishes in stakes races. These included runner-up finishes by a head and a neck, respectively, in the Groupie Doll Stakes in August at Churchill Downs and the Heavenly Cause Stakes in April at Laurel Park. Regaled appears to be entering the 2025 Breeders’ Cup in peak condition. However, she would likely need to elevate her best Equibase Speed Figure by 10-15 points to become a genuine contender. Additionally, three of her best performances (including the Delaware Handicap) have occurred on a wet surface, which she is unlikely to encounter in the Distaff. Nevertheless, the potential reward might outweigh the risk with Regaled in the Distaff, particularly as a closer capable of overtaking tiring runners late in the race to complete the trifecta or superfecta.
Sarawak Rim
Jockey: TBD
Trainer: Ignacio Correas
Owner: De Santi Hector Luis
Career record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $45,242
Top Equibase Speed Figure: N/A
Pedigree: Remote – Sarawak Top, by Giant’s Causeway
Age: 4
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: Sarawak Rim represents an intriguing element for the Distaff, being a filly with no prior racing experience in North America and not having competed since winning the Group 1 Gran Premio Criadores on May 1 in her native Argentina. Her victory in the Gran Premio Criadores secured her a guaranteed entry into the Distaff, with all expenses covered, through the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series. Before that win, she had recorded three convincing victories by open lengths, followed by a second-place finish in her stakes debut. Her start on November 1 will mark her first race under the guidance of new trainer Ignacio Correas IV, who previously orchestrated a mild upset by winning the 2019 Distaff with Argentine mare Blue Prize ($19.80). Sarawak Rim is likely to be one of the longest shots in the field, given the challenges in accurately assessing the caliber of competition she has faced in Argentina. Her pedigree traces back to a family that has produced U.S. Grade 1 winner Salutos Amigos and Grade 2 winner Sarah’s Secret.
Scottish Lassie
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Jorge Abreu
Owners: Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable, and Jorge R. Abreu
Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 3 thirds
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103
Pedigree: McKinzie – Bodebabe, by Bodemeister
Age: 3
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Press the pace
Analysis: Scottish Lassie achieved Grade 1 success as a 2-year-old, but encountered difficulties in recapturing that elite form as a 3-year-old in 2025, until her performance in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19 at Saratoga Race Course. In that Grade 1 CCA Oaks, the McKinzie filly established the pace, opened a significant advantage in the early stretch, and powered away to secure a dominant 15 ½-length victory over runner-up Immersive, with fellow Distaff contender Dry Powder finishing third. Following that decisive victory, Scottish Lassie was made the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes on September 20 at Parx Racing. However, she never posed a serious threat in the stretch, ultimately finishing fourth. Given the unlikelihood of her securing an uncontested lead in the Distaff, as she did in the CCA Oaks, Scottish Lassie would probably need to elevate her Equibase Speed Figure by around 10 points to have a shot at victory on November 1 at Del Mar. Scottish Lassie has the potential to enhance the trifecta or superfecta at appealing odds, but that likely represents her ceiling in the Distaff.
Scylla
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: Bill Mott
Owner: Juddmonte
Career record: 15 starts – 5 wins – 5 seconds – 3 thirds
Career earnings: $1,247,795
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Tapit – Close Hatches, by First Defence
Age: 5
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: Scylla finished fourth, a mere length behind the winner, in the 2024 PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. This Juddmonte homebred has consistently performed well against graded stakes competition over the past two years. In 2024, she secured two graded stakes victories and has also achieved placings in seven other graded stakes races in the last 19 months, including three second-place finishes and one third-place finish in Grade 1 races. In August at Saratoga Race Course, Scylla ran second in the Grade 1 Resorts World Ballerina Stakes, contested at a sprint distance. She then stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on October 5 at Keeneland, finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind the winner, Gin Gin, to take third place. Scylla is sired by the leading stallion Tapit and is out of Close Hatches, the 2014 champion older female. It appears that her connections have been searching for her ideal distance. Nonetheless, she is an exceptionally well-bred 5-year-old mare with ample speed to be a serious contender. Scylla appears to be a very intriguing longshot in a race that has been made more open by the defection of Cavalieri and the retirement of Thorpedo Anna. Juddmonte secured victory in the 2023 Distaff with Idiomatic. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has guided five prior winners in this race: Ajina (1997), Escena (1998), Unrivaled Belle (2010), and Royal Delta (2011, 2012).
Seismic Beauty
Jockey: Juan Hernandez
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owners: MyRacehorse and Peter Leidel
Career record: 7 starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $476,840
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 113
Pedigree: Uncle Mo – Knarsdale, by Medaglia d’Oro
Age: 4
Color: Bay
Running style: Pacesetter
Analysis: Seismic Beauty appears well-positioned to control the pace in the race, with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert at the helm – always a formidable combination. She has excelled since being stretched out to longer distances, recording three wins in as many starts at one mile or longer, all while leading from start to finish. Following a dominant five-length victory in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes in May at Santa Anita, Seismic Beauty secured a 1 ½-length score in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Presented by Oak Tree Racing on August 2 at Del Mar. She achieved a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 113 in that race, contested on the same surface that will host the Distaff. However, she is expected to face early challenges for the lead. Additionally, the 13-week layoff since the Hirsch victory introduces some concern. Seismic Beauty is expected to contend for favoritism for Baffert, who is aiming for his first Distaff victory.
