Breeders' Cup Distaff


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. It is the top ranked race for fillies and mares in North America, and often decides the title for champion three-year-old and / or champion older filly or mare.
Starting with the 2008 Breeders' Cup, the Distaff was the final race on the first day of the two-day event. In 2018, it was returned to the Saturday card.
Distance : 1 miles ; 1 miles.

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 twelve 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 eight automatic berths. One horse, though, 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 2019 "Win and You're In" races are:
  1. Gran Premio Criadores, a Group 1 race run in May at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo in Argentina
  2. Ogden Phipps Stakes, a Grade 1 race run in June at Belmont Park in New York
  3. Fleur de Lis Handicap, a Grade 2 race run in June at Churchill Downs in Kentucky
  4. Clement L. Hirsch Handicap, a Grade 1 race run in July at Del Mar Racetrack in California
  5. Personal Ensign Handicap, a Grade 1 race run in August at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York
  6. Cotillion Stakes, a Grade 1 race run in September at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania
  7. Zenyatta Stakes, a Grade 1 race run in September at Santa Anita Park in California
  8. Spinster Stakes, a Grade 1 race at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky

    Records

Most wins:
Stakes record:
Not applicable, as the race is run at different tracks
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
† - 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 races were run at 1 miles