5-for-5 Cavalieri is declared out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Cavalieri, whose 5-for-5 record includes the Grade 1 Beholder Mile, will not race in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 1, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Friday.

“Getting time off,” he said in a text message to Horse Racing Nation to verify what Joaquin Jaime reported from Santa Anita on FanDuel TV. “She will be back.”

Baffert did not go into further details in the text or his paddock conversation with Jaime.

Flashback: Cavalieri overcomes poor start in Zenyatta.

A 4-year-old Nyquist filly owned by Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner in their Speedway Stables’ name, Cavalieri maintained her undefeated record Sept. 28 when she and jockey Juan Hernández won the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) by 1 3/4 lengths as the 7-10 favorite at Santa Anita.

Last year Cavalieri won her debut during the Del Mar summer and followed that with an allowance score at Santa Anita. After a three-month break, she began 2025 with a win in the La Cañada (G3) nearly two months before her biggest triumph came as the even-money favorite in the Beholder Mile.

Cavalieri’s defection comes at the same time as trainer Kenny McPeek has said defending Distaff winner Thorpedo Anna was looking more and more like she may be retired to breeding by lead owner Hill ’n’ Dale Farm. That was after the 2024 horse of the year finished a lackluster fourth Sunday in the Spinster (G1) at Keeneland.

All this could leave Seismic Beauty, Baffert’s Clement L. Hirsch (G1) winner, to become the favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.