Las Vegas, NV - The Main Event of Santa Anita's Breeders' Cup Friday card - the Grade 1 Longines Distaff will be the culmination of a busy day on Friday, October, 31. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Santa Anita's main track and race 1 1/8 miles for a very nice purse of $2 million.

A strong field of 11 of the best females in the world will take part in the Breeders' Cup Distaff - race 9 on Santa Anita's busy Breeders' Cup Friday card. Post time is 4:35 PM. Let's take a look at the past performances of all 11 entries for this competitive Grade 1 Breeders' Cup race.

2014 Breeders' Cup Distaff Race Favorite Entries

Untapable 5-2 - Steve Asmussen trained filly had four straight graded stakes scores to start her year - the Grade 1 Mother Goose June 28, by 4 1/2 lenghts, the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 2, the Grade 2 Fair Ground Oaks March 29 and the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on that same track in February. She followed that with a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Haskell - he worst performance since an eighth in last year's Breeders' Cup but bounced back most recently with a great win in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx September 20. Untapable has seven wins and a third place finish in 10 career starts and having won five of her last six graded stakes tries looks like the one to beat. Untapable leaves from post 10 with Rosie Napravnik in the saddle.

Close Hatches 3-1 - Bill Mott trainee made her stakes debut and recorded a terrific win over the stellar Princess of Sylmar in the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct last April 6 and has six wins in 10 starts since. She enters this weekend off a disappointing fourth in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland October 5. This after a four race win streak - the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes by five lengths at Saratoga August 22, the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes over Beholder and Princess of Sylmar, the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap in gate-to-wire fashion at Oaklawn Park April 11 and the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes in March. She ended her 2013 campaign with a second to Beholder in the Breeders' Cup Distaff after another two race win streak - the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx September 21 and a 7 1/4 length score in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park in June of 2013. Close Hatches has won four of her last five starts and will be eager to avenge an uncharacteristic performance last time out. Joel Rosario rides from an unfavorable far outside post.

Breeders' Cup Distaff 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Don't Tell Sophia 5-1 - Philip Sims trained mare has placed in 13 straight races ahead of this weekend - eight wins over that span. She won the Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes November 2 and followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap on that same track four weeks later. She recorded consecutive minor stakes scores to begin her 2014 campaign - both at Oaklawn Park and followed that with a third behind Close Hatches in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes on that same track in March. After nearly six months away Don't Tell Sophia posted a win in the minor Locust Grove Stakes September 6 and was last seen winning the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland October 5. She is as competitive as they come and should seriously challenge the field as per usual Friday. Joe Rocco Jr. had the mount aboard the morning line third choice from post 7.

Belle Gallantey 6-1 - steadily improving entry has won five of her last seven starts of 2014 for trainer Rudy Rodriguez - a fifth in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park June 7 and a sixth two back in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes August 22 being the only blemishes. The wins include the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park September 27, the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap over Princess of Sylmar July 12, an Allowance Optional Claiming May 1, a Starter Allowance score and a win in an Allowance on January. She now has 43 career starts with nine wins, 12 seconds and seven third place finishes and looks better than any time in her long career. Rudy Rodriguez gets the call from post 4.

Iotapa 6-1 - John Sadler trainee is coming off an OK third in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes here September 27 after a terrific win in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar August 2, and an incredible 10 1/4 length win in the Grade 1 Vanity Stakes at Santa Anita June 14. Before that was an uncharacteristic sixth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff and a good second as 7-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes March 15. She posted a terrific gate-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes with a career best 99 Beyer figure February 15 and also had a good second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes to start 2014 - January 15. Other results include a very respectable second behind Beholder 2 3/4 lengths back in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and a win the minor Railbird Stakes as 7-5 favorite May 19. Iotapa has six wins, four seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts and enters in very good form. Joe Talamo will be in the reins from gate 3.

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Tiz Midnight 10-1 - Bob Baffert trained filly has placed in all seven career starts and enters off a good second in her stakes debut - the Grade 1 Zenyatta on this track September 27 which followed a three race win streak - an Allowance Optional score at Del Mar September 1 after another Allowance Optional Claiming win on that same track August 2 and a maiden score in her fourth career start. Tiz Midnight has won three of her last four starts but looks for her first graded stakes score Friday. Victor Espinoza has been tabbed to ride from post 2.

Ria Antonia 15-1 - Sovereign Award winner as 2013 Champion 2 Year Old Filly in Canada won last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies by DQ - quite an accomplishment any way you look at it, but followed that with a rather disappointing fourth behind Untapable in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds February 22. She enters off an OK second behind Don't Tell Sophia in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes after consecutive fourth place finishes - in the minor Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs and in the Grade 2 Iowa Oaks June 28. She was last of 10 in the Preakness Stakes against the boys, sixth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and a good second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks April 5. She hasn't won since the Breeders' Cup and has placed in just three of eight starts since but hopes to snap an eight race win streak for trainer Thomas Amoss. Paco Lopez will be in the irons from gate 9.

L'Amour de Ma Vie 15-1 - ships in from Europe where she failed to place in her last two starts - both Gr. 1 races. She did have a Group 2 stakes score at Meydan in February but has been very inconsistent since. L'Amour de Ma has 13 career starts with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish. Maxime Guyon gets the cal from the rail Friday.

Stanwyck 20-1 - John Sherreffs trained mare made her stakes debut and won the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap at Belmont Park October 26, 2013 and followed that with an OK second in the minor Paseana Stakes January 12 and an OK third in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on this track February 15. She has continued to look decent lately - a fourth last time out in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes September 27 and a second in the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap August 22 followed a pair of thirds - the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap in April and the Grade 1 Santa Margarita in March. Stanwyck enters having placed in six of her last seven starts and will be looking for her first win since October. Corey Nakatani has the mount from post 6.

Unbridled Forever 20-1 - has two wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in nine career starts - the wins including a maiden score November 30 and a nice win in the listed Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds in January. She posted three consecutive third place finished earlier this year - behind Untapable in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks March 29, behind Beholder in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 2 and in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park June 7. She then raced to a good second behind Stopchargingmaria in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks July 20 and ran to a disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes in August. Last time out was another second in the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks October 4. Unbridled Forever has placed in seven of her last eight starts and looks good ahead of this weekend. John Velazquez will ride from post 5.

Valiant Emilia 30-1 - Ships in from Peru for her North American debut for trainer Gary Mandella off a nice win in the Gr. 3 Clasico Cesar del Rio Suito June 22 and having recorded five wins and three seconds in her previous seven starts - all stakes races at home. She has been a factor in every race this year and could be again Friday. Rafael Bejarano will be in the irons from gate 8.

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2014 Breeders' Cup Distaff Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Santa Anita's Friday card with a Post Time of 4:35 PM.

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2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE