Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff

Juddmonte Farms’ Idiomatic found a new gear in the final furlong of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park, forging ahead and holding late challengers at bay to win the $2 million race by a half-length under Florent Geroux.

The gutsy display should ensure the daughter of Curlin an Eclipse Award as champion older dirt female and figures to garner her consideration for Horse of the Year. Not bad for a filly who wintered at Turfway Park and initially wasn’t projected for such heights.

Juddmonte USA manager Garrett O’Rourke recalled a 2021 conversation with Geroux, who after working Idiomatic as a juvenile commented that he thought she could be something special. As Idiomatic was one of several young Juddmonte fillies with trainer Brad Cox at the time, O’Rourke admitted to being a bit confused.

“Florent came back and said, ‘The Curlin filly, wow, she’s nice,’” O’Rourke said Saturday. “I was like, ‘the Curlin filly? Really?’

“She has stepped up. She has an engine and, boy, she needed that engine down the stretch today. She produced.”

Sent off the 9-5 favorite in the Distaff, Idiomatic broke smoothly from post 2 as Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales winner Randomized soon secured her familiar place on the lead as she aimed to extend her three-race win streak for trainer Chad Brown. Randomized and jockey Jose Ortiz blitzed through a quarter-mile in :22.31, half-mile in :46.26, and six furlongs in 1:10.16. The entire way, Idiomatic prompted, a half-length behind.

Idiomatic edged to the lead in the stretch then fought determinedly to maintain her advantage, finishing a half-length in front of runner-up Randomized and completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.57 on a fast track.

“When I needed her most – the last eighth of a mile when I really asked her – she just put her head down and started digging for me really hard,” said Geroux, who won the Distaff in 2018 and 2020 aboard Cox-trained Monomoy Girl. “She was all heart in that victory.

Randomized, the top 3-year-old finisher in the race, displayed heart as well to hold off the closers and finish second. Le Da Vida, who had finished second to Idiomatic last out in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 8 at Keeneland, finished third – leading a group of closers who couldn’t quite catch the top two.

The Distaff marked Idiomatic’s ninth start in the first 11 months of 2023 and during that time she has won eight races, including five straight graded stakes, and three straight Grade 1 stakes.

And, there still was enough in the tank for that final desperate furlong of the Distaff. Cox noted that besides the numerous starts this season, the durable filly’s forward running style allows for few interludes once the gates open.

“It’s not like she’s falling out of the gate and needs a set-up,” Cox said. “She runs the whole race. That’s, in my eyes, what good horses do. They’re able to break, be involved, and continue on.

“Listen, I think she definitely deserves some votes for Horse of the year. It’s a serious (race) record,” Cox said. “It’s not horse of the fall, horse of the summer, horse of the spring, or horse of the Breeders’ Cup. She has had a tremendous year from start to finish. Today was just icing on the cake.”

For fans, more sweets could follow from the 17.2-hand filly, who Cox believes may be the tallest horse he’s trained. While he didn’t fully commit, noting that Juddmonte leadership will have to weigh in, O’Rourke said Idiomatic most likely will return for her 5-year-old season in 2024.