Idiomatic capped a stellar 8-for-9 campaign with a hard-fought victory in the $1.82 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita on Saturday, prevailing by a half-length over stubborn three-year-old rival Randomized.
The 9-5 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Distaff, Idiomatic prevailed in a manner similar to other two-turn dirt winners at the Breeders’ Cup this weekend. Stalking a half-length behind Randomized, who cut out fractions of :22.31, :46.26, and 1:10.16, Idiomatic then forged ahead of that rival in upper stretch. That determined younger rival never let up, but Idiomatic proved best under Florent Geroux.
“I’m glad the wire came. My filly was getting a little tired at the end to be honest,” Geroux said.
A homebred racing for Juddmonte and trained by Brad Cox, Idiomatic covered the nine furlongs over a fast track in 1:50.57 and returned $5.60.
Randomized, who threw her hat in the ring for champion three-year-old filly honors with a strong performance following wins in the Alabama (G1) and Beldame (G2), edged the late-closing longshot Le Da Vida by a nose for second. Second choice Clairiere, who hung a bit after reaching contention in the stretch, finished fourth.
The order of finish was rounded out by Desert Dawn, Search Results, Adare Manor, Wet Paint, and Hoosier Philly. A notable scratch was Pretty Mischievous, who remains the likely favorite for the three-year-old filly crown.
A physically large filly, more than 17 hands, Idiomatic needed time to grow into her frame. After a winning debut at Turfway Park in April of her three-year-old season, she raced just twice more that year, placing third in a pair of allowances.
After two allowance scores at Turfway in January and February this term, Idiomatic made a winning stakes debut on March 25 in the Latonia S. over Turfway’s synthetic. After her lone season reversal in the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont, in which she finished a distant second, Idiomatic commenced her current win streak with a 2 1/2-length win in the Shawnee (G3) at Churchill Downs.
After a narrow score in the Delaware H. (G2), she had an easier time with convincing triumphs in the Personal Ensign (G1) and Spinster (G1). She has now won nine of 12 overall, with earnings of more than $2.56 million.
Bred in Kentucky, Idiomatic is by Curlin and out of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Lockdown, a First Defence full sister to 2014 champion older mare Close Hatches. The latter produced multiple Grade 2 scorer Tacitus.
