2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Cheat Sheet

Level: Beginner

By Dana Byerly, Hello Race Fans Co-founder

2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff

2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Chart courtesy of our partners, Brisnet.com

So you want to watch the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Friday but you have no idea who’s running. Not to worry! Here’s a thumbnail of the field in order of post position with their morning line odds. Be sure to check out our 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic Cheat Sheet and check back Friday and Saturday for our Breeders’ Cup picks!

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1. Street Girl (30-1) – The Calder Oaks winner has yet to score in graded stakes company but her 3rd last out in the Grade 1 Cotillion (won by Close Hatches) was notable in that she stumbled at the start and closed well. Also notable that her only two wins have been at distances over a mile despite the majority of her graded efforts coming at sprint distances. The step up in class will be a bigger hurdle than the added distance but given her last performance it’s plausible that she could be interesting in your exotic wagers.

2. Authenticity (8-1) – Show (3rd) The Grade 2 La Troienne winner ran a game 2nd to Beholder last out in the Grade 1 Zenyatta at Santa Anita and a non-threatening 2nd to Royal Delta in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign before that. She’s shown a flexible running style and does well under various pace scenarios. It was a clever move for trainer Todd Pletcher to send this New York-based filly to Santa Anita for her BC prep. Despite finishing 2nd, she ran very well and made up a lot ground late. It would not be a surprise for her to improve off that effort.

3. Close Hatches (6-1) – Place (2nd) The Grade 1 Cotillion winner has the distinction of being the only horse to beat Princess of Sylmar in a graded stakes race (the Grade 2 Gazelle in April). Since then she’s thrown a couple of clunkers but has rounded back into form by winning her last two with ease. No more easy races for her though as she makes her first attempt against older fillies and mares (and other 3-year-olds who have beaten older fillies and mares). But, the pace scenario is to her advantage and she’s definitely capable of hitting the board and possibly an upset if enough things fall into place. It would not be first time Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott pulled a sneaky upset!

4. Royal Delta (8-5) – The two-time winner of this race had no response when Princess of Sylmar ran by her in the Grade 1 Beldame last out, but she’s had an otherwise good year if you overlook her trip to Dubai (and you should). She and Beholder, who is right to her outside, are both likely to try to get the lead early, but the reigning older female champion doesn’t need the lead to win. If she wins she’ll be the first to win this race three times and will join the great Goldikova as the only three-time winner of any BC races.

5. Beholder (5-2) – Winner Last year’s Juvenile Fillies winner made short work of older fillies and mare last out in the Grade 1 Zenyatta at Santa Anita. This “horse for the course” has won six out five starts (and finished a close 2nd in the other). In her only outing at the distance she finished a close 2nd to Princess of Sylmar in the Kentucky Oaks. It’s to her advantage to get the lead early and she’s got the speed to do it but she’ll have to fight it out with Royal Delta, who has the advantage of being to to her inside. She’s been garnering plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” in the mornings and appears to be ready to strut her stuff.

6. Princess of Sylmar (9-5) – In her first outing against older fillies and mares she defeated morning-line favorite and two-time distaff winner Royal Delta in the Grade 1 Beldame. What made that effort even more impressive was that she was able to make up ground on the slowest part of the track (inside horses were winning all day, except for Royal Delta). Her connections did not originally plan to send her to the BC until they saw her last work, which indicated that she’s still in top form. Royal Delta and Beholder wanting to go fast early could give this Kentucky Oaks winner a great pace set-up.

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