Horse Betting World

Breeders´ Cup Ladies Classic

This race was known as the Breeders’ Cup Distaff until 2008, when the Breeders’ Cup decided to institute a “ladies day” on Friday. Both editions of the “Ladies Classic” have been run at Santa Anita, with Zenyatta winning the inaugural running one year before coming back with her historic win over males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In her absence last year trainer John Shirreffs sent stablemate Life Is Sweet to the winner’s circle. So, in the short term, Sherriffs is the only trainer to have ever won the “Ladies Classic.”

In reality, this race is still referred to as the “Distaff” by many, and over the years the winners have included some of the best female thoroughbreds the world has ever seen. Perhaps the greatest race in the event’s history took place right here at Churchill Downs in 1988, when Personal Ensign unbelievably rallied through the mud and the muck to catch Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors at the wire, ensuring that she would retire an unbeaten champion.

Joining Personal Ensign in the Distaff winner’s circle are such names as Princess Rooney, Life’s Magic, Lady’s Secret, Dance Smartly, Paseana, Inside Information, Escena, Azeri, Ashado, and Bayakoa – the only female to win this race multiple times, doing so in 1989 and 1990.

This year history of another sort will be made when the Ladies Classic is run on Friday at Churchill Downs – with a post time of 7:30PM (ET), it will become the first Breeders’ Cup race to be run under artificial lighting.

Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic facts to consider in your handicapping:

Distance: 1 1/8 Miles on dirt

Post Time: 7:30PM (ET), Friday

Churchill Downs Track Profile for this distance – over the last two race meets there have been 10 races run at this distance, with three wire-to-wire winners (30%). The average running line shows the winner within 2.8 lengths of the leaders at the second call and 1.5 lengths back at the third call. The only “deep closer” to win during this timeframe was Blind Luck, who won the Kentucky Oaks after racing 11 lengths off the leaders at the second call. She is expected to run in this year’s Ladies Classic.

Breeders’ Cup Track Profile at Churchill Downs for this distance – in six previous editions there have been two wire-to-wire winners, and in the last five editions only one winner has rallied from more than 3.5 lengths behind at the second call.

Churchill Downs Post Position Profile for this distance – 9-of-10 winners at this distance started from the middle of the gate, posts 4-8. One winner started from post 11. Posts 1-3 produced no winners.

Breeders’ Cup Post Position Profile at Churchill Downs for this distance – similar to the overall track profile, 4-of-6 winners started from the middle of the gate, posts 4-7. One winner came from post 10, and one winner came from the rail (this could have been the result of a strong inside bias that appeared in 2006).

Betting Angles – Overall, betting favorites won 3-of-10 races at this distance the last two race meets, and in previous Ladies Classic’s (Distaff’s) at Churchill Downs favorites won 2-of-6 races. Both of those favorites were overwhelming choices – Personal Ensign at 2/5 in 1988 and Dance Smartly at 2/5 in 1991. In four subsequent editions held at Churchill Downs we have seen Spain (55/1), One Dreamer (47/1) and Round Pond (13/1) find the winner’s circle. Overall, the last 14 editions of this race have produced only three winning favorites, with Pleasant Home (30/1) and Adoration (40/1) scoring at huge odds in addition to Spain. Five winners of this race at Churchill Downs were on-the-board in their most recent start, and five winners were coming from races at 1 1/8 miles or longer on conventional dirt.