A home-court advantage isn’t everything in horse racing, but did you known only one of the 13 fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s $2 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff has previously won at the host racetrack Del Mar?
The “horse for the course” specialist is #8 Seismic Beauty (9-5 morning-line odds), the expected betting favorite from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The 4-year-old filly is a neck away from being unbeaten in three starts at Del Mar, and a peak performance on Saturday will make her tough to defeat in the Distaff.
Seismic Beauty’s lone Del Mar defeat came in her career debut. She finished second in a maiden special weight sprint, beaten by only a neck by future Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes winner One Magic Philly. Less than a month later, Seismic Beauty led all the way to dominate a similar maiden special weight sprint at Del Mar by five lengths.
Although Seismic Beauty spent the early days of her career sprinting, she’s been unstoppable since stretching out to one mile and beyond, going 3-for-3. During the spring, she led by daylight at every stage of the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes to dominate by five lengths at Santa Anita. Last time out, she returned to Del Mar to lead from start to finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Presented by Oak Tree Racing.
Seismic Beauty’s Clement L. Hirsch performance was massive. She prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths over multiple Grade 1 winner Kopion and stopped the timer in a fast 1:42.33, earning a huge 110 Beyer Speed Figure and an eye-catching 107 Brisnet Speed rating. Both of those numbers are the highest recorded by any of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff entrants.
Seismic Beauty enters off a lengthy series of fast workouts at Santa Anita, suggesting she’ll bring her “A” game to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. There’s a strong chance Seismic Beauty will lead for every step of the Distaff’s 1 1/8-mile distance and bring her record racing one mile and longer to a perfect 4-for-4.
If you’re betting the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on a small budget (say, $10), consider placing a straightforward win bet on Seismic Beauty — if she wins at 9-5 odds, you’ll turn $10 into $28, a respectable return.
However, if you want to spend more (perhaps $30) and chase a bigger payoff, you should also bet an exacta using #12 Dorth Vader (5-1) for second place.
Dorth Vader isn’t the most consistent mare in training, but on her best day she’s a force to reckon with. During the spring, she dominated the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford at Saratoga Race Course by 4 3/4 lengths. Most recently, she failed by only a nose to catch 2024 Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Thorpedo Anna in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes, finishing second while pulling 9 3/4 lengths clear of the third-place horse.
Dorth Vader has trained well for the Distaff and has every chance to land a top-two finish under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Wagering Strategy on a $10 Budget
$10 to win on #8 Seismic Beauty
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $10 to win on 8
Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget
$22 to win on #8 Seismic Beauty
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $22 to win on 8
$8 exacta: 8 with 12
What to say at the betting window: Del Mar, Race 7, $8 exacta 8 with 12
Good luck, and enjoy the race!
