Breeders' Cup Memories: 2002 Distaff

Note: Once a week till the week before the Breeders' Cup, this blog will be featuring a BC race in a feature called Breeders' Cup Memories. This week's post is about the 2002 Distaff.

 The 2002 Breeders' Cup Distaff featured a field where all eight horses in the race finished no worse than 3rd in their final preps. Held at Arlington Park in the Chicago area, the race featured that year's Kentucky Oaks and Alabama winner Farda Amiga (Broad Brush), the prevous year's Juvenile Fillies runner up and U.A.E. Oaks winner Imperial Gesture (Langfur), and Spinster winner Take Charge Lady (Dehere). However all eyes where on Azeri (Jade Hunter), a filly who had only lost once in her career and was coming off a win in the Lady's Secret.

As the gate's open, Azeri headed right to the lead with Imperial Gesture in second and Take Charge Lady in third. Farda Amiga was in fourth with Mandy's Gold (Gilded Time) who had won the Chicago Handicap earlier in the season and was coming off a runner up finish in the Beldame (to Imperial Gesture) was in fifth. They remained that way for the most part until the stretch when Azeri had pulled away from the field to win the race. Farda Amiga closed to be second and Imperial Gesture faded a bit to be third.

 Replay:

 

 Azeri would be named not only Champion Older Female, but grabbed Horse of the Year honors as well. In 2003, she would return where she would once again only lose once, however she missed the Breeders' Cup. Never the less she would once again Champion Older Female. 2004 was a change where she went from the West Coast to the East Coast. Despite not being quite the same horse she was at 4 and 5, she still picked up 3 G1 wins. Her career with a 5th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic to Ghostzapper (Awesome Again), but she finished ahead of two horses Bowman's Band (Dixieland Band) and 2003 Derby winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) who had finished ahead of her in her first try against males in the Met Mle. She also defeated Belmont winner Birdstone (Grindstone) and the previous year's third place finisher Dynaver (Dynaformer). Azeri would pick up her final Eclipse Award for Older Female once again.

 As a broodmare, Azeri has been a little bit of a success. Her best foal is G3 winner and G1 placed Wine Princess (Ghostzapper). She is currently a broodmare in Japan. She was inducted into Racing's Hall of Fame in 2010.

 Notes: Summer Colony (Summer Squall) the first horse to ever to defeat Azeri was also in the 02 Distaff, but finished last. Take Charge Lady would become the best broodmare of this field with G1 winners Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) 2012 FL Derby winner and last year's Classic runner up Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song).