Having familiarity with the track can be advantageous in horse racing, but were you aware that only a single participant out of the 13 fillies and mares competing in Saturday’s $2 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff has previously achieved a victory at Del Mar, the location of the race?
The acknowledged expert on this specific track is #8 Seismic Beauty (with morning-line odds of 9-5), anticipated to be the leading contender according to betting odds, representing the stable of esteemed Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. This 4-year-old filly is exceptionally close to maintaining an unblemished record in her three appearances at Del Mar, and if she performs at her absolute best on Saturday, she will be formidable and difficult to overcome in the Distaff.
Seismic Beauty’s single setback at Del Mar occurred during her initial career race. She secured the second position in a maiden special weight sprint, narrowly defeated by a neck by One Magic Philly, who later triumphed in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes. Subsequently, within a month, Seismic Beauty showcased her dominance in a similar maiden special weight sprint at Del Mar, leading the entire race and winning by an impressive five lengths.
While Seismic Beauty initially concentrated on sprint races early in her career, she has been virtually unstoppable since extending her distances to one mile and beyond, achieving a perfect record of 3 wins in 3 attempts. During the spring season, she surged ahead at every juncture of the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes, securing a commanding five-length victory at Santa Anita. Most recently, upon returning to Del Mar, she once again led from beginning to end in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Presented by Oak Tree Racing.
Seismic Beauty’s showing in the Clement L. Hirsch was truly remarkable. She triumphed by a margin of 1 1/2 lengths over Kopion, a multiple Grade 1 winner, and clocked a swift time of 1:42.33, achieving an impressive 110 Beyer Speed Figure and a noteworthy 107 Brisnet Speed rating. These figures represent the highest marks attained by any participant in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Seismic Beauty is entering the race following an extensive series of rapid workouts at Santa Anita, which implies she’ll be delivering her top-tier effort for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The odds are favorable that Seismic Beauty will establish and sustain the lead throughout the entirety of the Distaff’s 1 1/8-mile distance, potentially improving her record to a flawless 4 wins in 4 races covering one mile or greater.
In the event that you’re wagering on the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with a limited budget (for example, $10), it might be prudent to place a straightforward bet on Seismic Beauty to win. If she wins at 9-5 odds, your initial $10 will be transformed into $28, representing a commendable return.
However, if you’re inclined to invest more (perhaps $30) with the aim of securing a more substantial payout, an advisable approach would be to also place an exacta bet, anticipating #12 Dorth Vader (at 5-1 odds) to secure the second position.
Dorth Vader is not always predictable during training, but at her best, she presents a significant challenge. In the spring, she was dominant in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford at Saratoga Race Course with a 4 3/4-length victory. She recently came very close, missing by a nose, to overtaking Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Horse of the Year and previous Breeders’ Cup Distaff victor, in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes, achieving second place and a significant 9 3/4-length advantage over the horse in third.
Dorth Vader has been training with diligence leading up to the Distaff and has a solid opportunity to achieve a top-two finish under the guidance of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Recommended Betting Approach with a $10 Allocation
$10 to be placed on #8 Seismic Beauty to win
Instructions at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $10 to win on 8
Recommended Betting Approach with a $30 Allocation
$22 to be placed on #8 Seismic Beauty to win
Instructions at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $22 to win on 8
$8 exacta: 8 combined with 12
Instructions at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $8 exacta 8 with 12
Wishing you favorable outcomes, and we hope you enjoy the race!
