Breeders' Cup Distaff | Horse Racing Free Tips

Distaff: Harvest Moon, Ollie’s Candy Test Keeneland Main Track

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor's Harvest Moon and Paul and Karen Eggert's Ollie's Candy, two pre-entrants for next Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), put in their final works for the 1 1/8-mile main track test at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

With jockey Flavien Prat aboard, Harvest Moon worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 in company shortly after the track opened for training at 6 a.m.

“Flavien was very, very happy (with the work). I got her in a minute and four-fifths,” said trainer Simon Callaghan, who arrived in Lexington Wednesday night from his Southern California base, a few days after Harvest Moon arrived. “She has settled in nicely and it looks like she handled the track well.”

Currently housed in the Calumet Farm training barn, Harvest Moon will make the short trip of less than a half-mile south on Rice Road to the Breeders' Cup barns on Tuesday.

Ollie's Candy, second here Oct. 4 in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1), worked 6 furlongs in 1:11 in company under Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler.

“I talked with John last night and he said she needed a good work,” Levya said of Ollie's Candy, who had worked a bullet 5 furlongs in :59 Oct. 24. “It was a little quick, but she did it well.”

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Pletcher Sends Out Halladay, Valiance For Final Preps

Trainer Todd Pletcher looked on as Halladay [Mile] and Valiance [Distaff] breezed on the the dirt training track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on Saturday morning in preparation for next weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Harrell Ventures' Halladay, winner of the Grade 1 Fourstardave last out on Aug. 22 at Saratoga Race Course, worked solo through a half-mile in 49.21 seconds over the fast dirt training track.

“I was happy we were able to get it in today. The track dried out pretty nicely considering all of the rain we've had,” Pletcher said. “Halladay was a touch keen early on. He went off a little quick but then he relaxed, settled quickly, finished up strong and galloped out well. I was happy with that.”

Saturday's work was the third breeze back for the 4-year-old War Front gray after scratching out of the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 3 at Keeneland with a hind leg infection.

Halladay, who captured the Tropical Park Derby in December at Gulfstream Park, has posted a trio of triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures over his last four starts, recording wins in an optional-claimer [102] on the Gulfstream turf in April; a 1 1/4-length score in the G2 Bernard Baruch [103] at the Spa in July; and a 105 Beyer for his pacesetting Fourstardave effort.

“He's had a couple of extra days in between works,” Pletcher said. “We haven't been able to do a whole lot here with all of the rain and sloppy conditions. He was just feeling good, which is an indication that he's sharp and ready.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin S. Schwartz and China Horse Club's Valiance enjoyed success at the highest level last out in the nine-furlong G1 Spinster on October 4 at Keeneland. The victory marked the first graded stakes win for the 4-year-old Tapit gray, who registered a solo half-mile breeze in 49 flat Saturday.

“Valiance maintains form really well. Not only was her work good, but she galloped out well. She seems to be doing as well as she can at the moment,” Pletcher said.

Valiance, a six-time winner from eight starts, was purchased for $650,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Out of the Grade 1-winning Empire Maker mare Last Full Measure, Valiance entered the Spinster from the off-the-turf Eatontown at Monmouth Park in August.

“When you go into races like this, they're going to be one of many Grade 1 winners in their respective races,” Pletcher said. “Both horses are in good form and doing well, we just need everything to go smoothly between now and then and have some racing luck.”

Jockey Luis Saez will pilot both Halladay and Valiance in their respective Breeders' Cup races.

Pletcher pre-entered five horses for next weekend's Breeders' Cup with his 2-year-old contenders Likeable [Juvenile], Mutasaabeq [Juvenile Turf], and Union Gables [Juvenile Fillies Turf / second preference Juvenile Turf Sprint] posting their final works on Thursday at Belmont.

The 53-year-old Pletcher, a seven-time Eclipse Award-winner, has saddled winners of five American Classics and 11 Breeders' Cup races. He enters Saturday's 10-race Belmont card just one win shy of 5,000 for his career.

The veteran conditioner will send out a trio of starters Saturday at Belmont as he looks to reach the milestone, including Kitten by the Sea [Race 2], Cap de Creus [Race 6, the $80,000 Zagora] and Jerry the Nipper [Race 7].

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Breeders’ Cup Buzz Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Remembering The 2015 Cup

This year's Breeders' Cup not only marks a return to Keeneland Race Course, it also means it's been five years since the event was last held at the Lexington, Ky., track, producing what was one of the most memorable editions in its history.

In the Breeders' Cup Buzz, we're asking some notable Thoroughbred industry names about their experiences with the event and a few hypothetical questions tied to the races.

This week, we asked participants in the upcoming Breeders' Cup to look back at the last time the card was held at Keeneland and recall what memories have stuck with them in the time between.

To view previous editions of the Breeders' Cup Buzz, click here.

Valorie Lund – Trainer

“American Pharoah winning the Classic was awesome. He was doing something that will probably never done again in many years, if ever.”

Aron Wellman – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners

“Selfishly, we had a runner that year in the Distaff, Curalina. She put up a really game effort to be third behind Stopchargingmaria and Stellar Wind. That was my most vivid memory.”

Harlan Malter – Ironhorse Racing Stable

“I had 2 1/2 to get from Lexington, Ky., to Shelbyville, Ind., to make it from the end of American Pharoah's Classic win to Bucchero's first stakes win as a 3-year-old in the To Much Coffee at Indiana Grand. I'm a big planner, and I was sitting next to my partner saying, 'I don't think we can wait until American Pharoah crosses the finish line.' We had to make a beeline to the car because other people would be trying to leave. I had so much excitement for American Pharoah's race, and I thank him for winning it so convincingly, because we legitimately headed into the tunnel when he passed us, and we were able to get to the car. We arrived in Shelbyville as Bucchero was walking into the paddock. It was the first stakes win for Ironhorse.”

Carlos Martin – Trainer

“American Pharoah putting on a show in the final race of his career, and destroying the field. He was just a magical horse. I was a big fan of his, and to watch him go out to Keeneland and dominate the way he did, and the reception he got, it was just a special, special day.”

Jerry Crawford – Donegal Racing

“Donegal Racing had over 125 people at the races that day, and I think that was my biggest memory. It was the year Keen Ice won the Travers, beating American Pharoah, and we, of course, were hoping that he'd repeat that feat in the Classic. That wasn't meant to be, but it was still a very exciting summer and fall of racing.”

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Monomoy Girl Primed For Big Effort in Distaff, But Will It Be Her Last?

Two years since Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) won the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff and after a lost 2019, the 5-year-old mare is apparently doing so well that trainer Brad Cox said she is better now than she was in 2018 when she crossed the wire first in all seven of her races. That could mean a second Distaff win. Could it also mean that she will be back for a third try in 2021?

Monomoy Girl has been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November sale and it was widely believed that she would be retired after this year’s Breeders’ Cup. But on a teleconference Wednesday to announce the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup, Cox said the possibility of her racing next year has been raised.

“I just think [the owners] have if it in the back of their minds that if she shows up and runs extremely well in the Distaff it could be a possibility that they’d like to campaign her in 2021,” Cox said. “Given the fact that she did not race as a 4-year-old, this is basically her 4-year-old season. For a mare who is five and about to turn six, she is somewhat lightly raced. I think a lot of it will hinge on what happens Breeders’ Cup day. I think there will be a meeting at some point after the Breeders’ Cup, either that night or the next day. At some point we are going to have to get a game plan ready. A lot of it will hinge on her performance Breeders’ Cup day.”

After her outstanding 3-year-old campaign, Monomoy Girl dealt with a few setbacks last year that kept her from making a start. The ownership group, which consists of Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group LLC, Monomoy Stables and Bethlehem Stables LLC, patiently waited for Cox to ger her ready for her return. She came back with a win in a May 16 allowance race at Churchill Downs and then won the GII Ruffian S. and the GI La Troienne S.

“As far as getting her back to the races it was a long road,” Cox said. “We had a couple of setbacks in ’19. For her to be able to compete at the Grade I level and win a Grade I was really amazing for us as a team. We feel like she is better this year than she was in 2018. It means a lot to us and our staff and the owners for her to not only make it back but to compete at the Grade I level.”

Monomoy Girl’s task in the Distaff will be made tougher if GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) runs in that race over the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 3-year-old filly has been pre-entered in both races, with the Distaff listed as the first preference. Trainer Ken McPeek said Wednesday that he and owner Peter Callahan have yet to choose which race she will go in, but he hinted that it may be the Distaff.

“We went ahead and took advantage of the fact she can pre-enter in both races without having to pay any fees,” McPeek said. “We figured we would take a look and see what the Classic looks like. We haven’t had an opportunity to sit down and study the past performances yet. We are going to do that in the next 24, 48 hours and get some clarity on what direction we will go in.

“I do think the Distaff is the first logical choice if you don’t know who all the competitors are in the Classic. It isn’t a decision set in stone yet. This gives us the ability to look and check out the other race. I have said all along the Distaff is the likely spot. But we are not going to rule out the other race until we’ve had a chance to analyze who all is running and how the pace scenario may set up. There is still a little bit of time and we don’t have to make a firm decision until the second of November, but I assume we will probably make it over the next couple or three days.”

McPeek said there were pluses and minuses when it came to both races.

“I really like her at a mile-and-a quarter,” he said. “That would be the pro for the Classic. But I also know it is a deeper race on paper. Another pro would be that she would get a bit of weight off [Swiss Skydiver would get a three-pound weight allowance in the Classic] in that race. That’s a couple of reasons to go in that direction. Monomoy Girl will definitely be the horse to beat in the Distaff. She is certainly a top filly, so you wouldn’t think that race would be easy. We have to study it and we will come to a conclusion soon.”

The Classic looks like the more imposing spot. The race has drawn a who’s who of the top male horse in training, including Authentic (Into Mischief), Improbable (City Zip), Maximum Security (New Year’s Day), Tiz the Law (Constitution) and Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike).

Cox said he would be excited to see Swiss Skydiver in the Distaff.

“I think it would be fantastic for racing if they were to meet up in the Distaff,” he said. “Obviously, you are talking about our horse already being a champion and that filly is definitely on the leader board and will probably take home champion 3-year-old filly honors this year. It would be a really good match up from the standpoint of being a fan. And I am a fan of racing and I think it would be a tremendous match up and I am looking forward to the possibility.”

The rest of the pre-entered field for the Distaff consists of Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), Dunbar Road (Quality Road), Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo), Horologist (Gemologist), Lady Kate (Bernardini), Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), Point of Honor (Curlin), Valiance (Tapit) and Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah), whose first preference is the GI Filly & Mare Turf.

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