The 43rd Breeders’ Cup Distaff is a Grade 1, $2 million race run on October 31, 2026, at Keeneland. It’s 1⅛ miles around two turns on dirt, and it may be one of the best fields in years.
You have a sprint champion trying to stretch out, an Eclipse Award winner leading the older mares, Grade 1 winners coming off big autumn wins, and 3-year-old fillies taking on their elders. Here are the 10 contenders, counted down in order, with a look at what could decide it.
Quick look: the 2026 Distaff field
| # | Horse | Age | Trainer | Early odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nitrogen | 4 | Mark Casse | n/a |
| 2 | Eunomia | 4 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | n/a |
| 3 | Regaled | 5 | D. Whitworth Beckman | 20-1 |
| 4 | Fully Subscribed | 4 | Chad Brown | 7-2 |
| 5 | Splendora | 5 | Bob Baffert | 3-1 |
| 6 | Measure | 3 | Mark Casse | n/a |
| 7 | Immersive | 4 | Brad Cox | 6-1 |
| 8 | Super Corredora | 3 | John Sadler | n/a |
| 9 | Luster | 3 | Josie Carroll | 15-1 |
| 10 | Scottish Lassie | 4 | Jorge Abreu | n/a |
Odds are early numbers and will change after post positions are drawn.
1. Nitrogen
Nitrogen is one of the most accomplished mares in American racing: nine wins and six seconds from 18 starts. She’s a 4-year-old bay filly by Medaglia d’Oro out of Tiffany Case, an Uncle Mo mare, which makes her a half-sister to stakes winner Love to Shop. D J Stable bred her in Kentucky, and she’s trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse and ridden by José Ortiz.
She was the 2024 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly, then won the 2025 Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly, highlighted by the Grade 1 Alabama at 1¼ miles at Saratoga. This year she won the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn, then the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Saratoga by 12¾ lengths. She tried older males in the Grade 1 Whitney and finished a game second, then won the Grade 2 Beldame at Belmont. Her peak Equibase figure is 117, the highest in this field, and her top Beyer is 106.
2. Eunomia
Eunomia got into the race by upsetting the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar on August 1, at 12-1. She’s a 4-year-old bay filly by Tiz the Law out of Speedy Vanessa, an American Pharoah mare, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Micah Husbands. She has 5 wins and 4 seconds from 16 starts.
This year she was third in the Grade 3 Royal Delta, second to Alpine Princess in the Grade 2 Doubledogdare at Keeneland (a career-best 97 Beyer), and won the Sandy Bottom at Colonial Downs. At Del Mar she tracked a contested pace, moved on the turn, and won by a half-length. Her best Equibase figure is 109, and she has already shown she likes Keeneland’s surface. She’s a stalker who runs mid-pack along the rail.
3. Regaled
Regaled is a tough 5-year-old mare by Mohaymen out of Ascot Walk, a Daaher mare, trained by D. Whitworth Beckman and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. She has 6 wins from 24 starts.
She won the Grade 3 Delaware Handicap in September 2025 and was fourth in this year’s Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn. On October 3, on a rain-soaked, sealed track at Delaware Park, she repeated in the Delaware Handicap, drawing away late. She’s 20-1 on the early line, and she could pick up the pieces if the pace is hot.
4. Fully Subscribed
Fully Subscribed comes in off a career-best win in the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland on October 4, which earned a fees-paid spot. She’s a 4-year-old filly by Tiz the Law out of Sweetbaby, a Candy Ride mare, bred by Payson Stud and trained by Chad Brown. Flavien Prat rides her, and she has 6 wins and 3 seconds from 10 starts.
Last year she won the Grade 2 Mother Goose and the Grade 3 Comely. This year she was second to Shred the Gnar in the Grade 1 La Troienne and second to Nitrogen in the Ogden Phipps, then won the Grade 2 Shuvee over Scottish Lassie. She romped by eight lengths in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Travers Day, then led the whole way in the Spinster, over the same track and distance as the Distaff.
She can set the pace or sit two lengths off it. She’s 7-2 early.
5. Splendora
Splendora is trying for a rare Breeders’ Cup double across divisions. She won the 2025 Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar, and she’s been winning two-turn races all year. She’s a 5-year-old Maryland-bred by Audible out of Miss Freeze, a Frost Giant mare, bred by The Elkstone Group and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. She has 10 wins from 16 starts.
In 2026 she has won five stakes in six starts: the D. Wayne Lukas Stakes, the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita, the Grade 2 Shawnee at Churchill Downs, the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth in the mud, and the Grade 2 Locust Grove at Churchill by 5¼ lengths on September 12. She’s extremely fast, and early odds are 3-1. The big question is whether she can carry that speed 1⅛ miles around Keeneland.
6. Measure
Measure is the classic generation’s top filly here. She’s a 3-year-old by Essential Quality out of Fateer, an Eskendereya mare, trained by Mark Casse for Casse Racing and ridden by Manuel Franco. She has 1 win, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds in 8 starts.
After breaking her maiden at Churchill Downs at two, she was third in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, second by a neck in the Alabama, and third in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx. She’s consistent and has plenty of stamina in her pedigree.
7. Immersive
Immersive is a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred by Nyquist out of Gap Year, a Bernardini mare, trained by Brad Cox and ridden mostly by Manuel Franco. She was perfect at two in 2024, winning the Spinaway, the Alcibiades, and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies by 4½ lengths, and took the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old filly.
A bone bruise delayed her 3-year-old season, but in 2025 she was second in the Coaching Club American Oaks and won the Seneca Overnight at Churchill. This year she won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, fighting back along the inside rail, which earned her ticket. She finished behind Splendora in both the Shawnee and the Locust Grove. She’s 6-1 early and can pounce if the leaders duel.
8. Super Corredora
Super Corredora is a 3-year-old bay filly by Gun Runner out of Super Simple, a Super Saver mare, bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, trained by John Sadler, and ridden by Joel Rosario. She was the 2025 champion 2-year-old filly after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
She struggled this spring, finishing fourth in the Las Virgenes and sixth in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel, so Sadler gave her six months off. It worked: on September 27 she won the Grade 2 Zenyatta at Santa Anita, taking the lead from Rosario, setting an easy pace, and kicking clear. She now has 3 wins from 7 starts.
9. Luster
Luster is a gray or roan 3-year-old by Knicks Go out of Ruby Frost, a The Factor mare, trained by Josie Carroll and ridden by John Velazquez. Knicks Go was a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and the Longines World’s Best Racehorse. She has 5 wins in 7 starts.
She romped in a two-turn allowance at Keeneland in April, then won the Grade 3 Selene and the Woodbine Oaks back in Canada. On August 15, she took on males in the King’s Plate and won by 7¼ lengths under a hand ride, becoming only the 40th filly to win the Canadian classic. She’s 15-1 early, a versatile stalker with proven route stamina.
10. Scottish Lassie
Scottish Lassie is a 4-year-old dark bay or brown filly by McKinzie out of Bodebabe, a Bodemeister mare, trained by Jorge Abreu. She has 3 wins and 2 seconds from 10 starts. She won the Grade 1 Frizette at two and was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and at three she won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga by 15½ lengths.
She has the best gate speed in the field, though she’s recently shown she can relax just off the pace when challenged.
What to watch
The main question is the pace. Scottish Lassie and Super Corredora want to be on or near the lead, Splendora is the fastest, and Fully Subscribed can sit anywhere. Nitrogen has the highest speed figure and the most experience, and Eunomia and Regaled could pick up the pieces if the leaders duel.
Distance is the other issue. Splendora has to prove her speed carries 1⅛ miles around Keeneland, while Fully Subscribed has already won over the exact track and distance.
FAQ
When is the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Distaff?
October 31, 2026, at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.
How far is the Breeders’ Cup Distaff?
1⅛ miles on dirt.
What is the purse?
$2 million.
Who are the favorites?
Early odds put Splendora (3-1) and Fully Subscribed (7-2) at the top, with Nitrogen carrying the highest speed figure.
Who won the 2025 Distaff?
(Add the 2025 winner and check it before publishing. Your script doesn’t say.)
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