2020 DISTAFF BETTING: Monomoy Girl vs Swiss Skydiver
The stage is set for Monomoy Girl, the diva of the filly and mare division, to have her Hollywood ending with a victory in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), but the new starlet on the scene, Swiss Skydiver, could steal the spotlight on Saturday.
Monomoy Girl won the 2018 Distaff and has already written the script for comeback story of the year. After winning this race two years ago she was sidelined with illness and injury for 18 months. Conventional wisdom was that she would never make it back to the races, and if by some miracle she were able to do so, she could never be the same.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff Betting
But trainer Brad Cox not only brought her all the way back, he brings the 5-year-old mare into the Distaff as a now six-time Grade 1 winner undefeated in three 2020 starts, including the La Troienne Stakes in her last.
“She’s good, really good. She’s as good as she’s ever been honestly,’’ Cox said of his 2018 3-year-old champion filly. “It’s scary to see how well she’s moving, how happy she is and how fresh she is. We’ll see what the future holds for her, but as a 5-year-old she’s showing how mature she’s become.”
Breeders’ Cup Distaff Odds
| 1 | Ce Ce | 12-1 | Michael W. McCarthy | John Velazques |
| 2 | Harvest Moon | 12-1 | Simon Callaghan | Flavien Prat |
| 3 | Dunbar Road | 12-1 | Chad C. Brown | Jose Ortiz |
| 4 | Horologist | 8-1 | William I. Mott | Junior Alvarado |
| 5 | Swiss Skydiver | 2-1 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Robby Alvarado |
| 6 | Lady Kate | 15-1 | Eddie Kenneally | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 7 | Point of Honor | 30-1 | George Weaver | Javier Castellano |
| 8 | Valiance | 12-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Luis Saez |
| 9 | Ollie’s Candy | 10-1 | John W. Sadler | Joel Rosario |
| 10 | Monomoy Girl | 8-5 | Brad Cox | Florent Geroux |
Sires With Multiple Runners in a Single Breeders’ Cup
| Galileo (IRE) | 9 ( 2016 ) | |
| Galileo (IRE) | 8 ( 2018 ) | |
| War Front | 8 ( 2017 ) | |
| Galileo (IRE) | 7 ( 2017 ) | |
| Malibu Moon | 7 ( 2017 ) | |
| Mr. Prospector | 7 ( 1988 ) | |
| Tapit | 7 ( 2015 ) | |
| War Front | 7 ( 2016 ) | |
| A.P. Indy | 6 ( 2010 ) | |
| Distorted Humor | 6 ( 2007 ) | |
| Galileo (IRE) | 6 ( 2015 ) | |
| Giant’s Causeway | 6 ( 2014 ) | |
| Kitten’s Joy | 6 ( 2013 / 15 / 18 ) | |
| Medaglia d’Oro | 6 ( 2017 ) | |
| Sadler’s Wells | 6 ( 2002 ) | |
| Scat Daddy | 6 ( 2017 ) | |
| Speightstown | 6 ( 2012 ) | |
| Storm Cat | 6 ( 1999 / 04 ) | |
| Tiznow | 6 ( 2008 ) | |
| Bernardini | 5 ( 2015 ) | |
| Curlin | 5 ( 2016 / 17 ) | |
| Danehill | 5 ( 2005 ) | |
| Danzig | 5 ( 1992 ) | |
| Deputy Minister | 5 ( 1997 ) | |
| Giant’s Causeway | 5 ( 2009 ) | |
| Into Mischief | 5 ( 2019 ) | |
| Kitten’s Joy | 5 ( 2011 ) | |
| Medaglia d’Oro | 5 ( 2015 ) | |
| Mr. Prospector | 5 ( 1987 ) | |
| Quality Road | 5 ( 2018 ) | |
| Sadler’s Wells | 5 ( 2003 ) | |
| Scat Daddy | 5 ( 2015 ) | |
| Speightstown | 5 ( 2013 / 19 ) | |
| Tapit | 5 ( 2011 / 13 / 16 ) | |
| War Front | 5 ( 2019 ) | |
| A.P. Indy | 4 ( 2009 ) | |
| Bernardini | 4 ( 2010 / 11 ) | |
| City Zip | 4 ( 2014 / 17 ) | |
| Curlin | 4 ( 2015 ) | |
| Danehill | 4 ( 2002 ) | |
| Dansili (GB) | 4 ( 2009 / 14 ) | |
| Danzig | 4 ( 1986 / 91 ) | |
| Distorted Humor | 4 ( 2012 ) | |
| Dynaformer | 4 ( 2004 / 05 / 11 / 12 ) | |
| Empire Maker | 4 ( 2013 ) | |
| Galileo (IRE) | 4 ( 2008 ) | |
| Ghostzapper | 4 ( 2013 ) | |
| Irish River (FR) | 4 ( 1992 ) | |
| Kitten’s Joy | 4 ( 2009 / 14 ) | |
| Malibu Moon | 4 ( 2010 ) | |
| Medaglia d’Oro | 4 ( 2010 ) | |
| More Than Ready | 4 ( 2019 ) | |
| Pleasant Colony | 4 ( 1989 ) | |
| Sadler’s Wells | 4 ( 1993 / 07 ) | |
| Smart Strike | 4 ( 2009 ) | |
| Smarty Jones | 4 ( 2013 ) | |
| Speightstown | 4 ( 2011 ) | |
| Storm Cat | 4 ( 1993 / 00 / 09 ) | |
| Unbridled’s Song | 4 ( 2008 / 12 ) | |
| War Front | 4 ( 2013 / 14 / 15 ) |
Miriam Lee has always been a horse racing fan thanks to trips to the tracks in her home state of Maryland with her father as kid. She owns an OTTB and is an advocate for promoting the sport among her peers. Miriam studies communication arts at Hood College and will receive her master’s degree in 2021, which she plans to use for a career in screenwriting. Her all-time favorite racehorse is Man O War.