(Scylla / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Breeders’ Cup Media Team:

Scylla Turns Distaff Into One-Horse Race

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2025) – Juddmonte’s homebred Scylla ($17.20) went to the front

and kept going in posting a 5 ½-length victory over Nitrogen in winning the 42nd running of the

$2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon at Del

Mar.

Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Scylla completed the 1 1/8 miles on a fast

track in 1:48.07. The victory is Mott’s sixth in the Distaff and 16th overall in the World

Championships. It is the fourth Breeders’ Cup victory for Alvarado.

Scylla, fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), went to the front out of the

gate while under pressure from Gin Gin and favored Seismic Beauty through fractions of :22.27

and :45.75 with Nitrogen getting a ground-saving trip in fourth.

On the turn, Scylla began to cruise unopposed as Nitrogen moved into second only to have

Scylla expand her lead. Nitrogen held second by a half-length over Regaled, who rallied from far

back to get third.

The victory, her first Grade 1 after four placings at that level, was worth $1,040,000 to increase

her earnings to $2,287,795 with a record of 16-6-5-3. Scylla is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred

daughter of Tapit out of the First Defence mare Close Hatches.

# # #

Quotes:

Winning trainer Bill Mott (Scylla) – “I didn’t know how it would go. She broke, she put him

there and Junior (Alvarado) had the good sense not to drag her back. When you let them go thelead, there is a risk that you are going to go fast. And she did. And she kept going. I was a little

worried she might come back to them. I kept watching and she turned for home and opened up

two (lengths). She ran a two-turn race out here last year (G1 Clement Hirsch, finished second)

and she didn’t get the distance last year.”

Running in the 1 1/8m Spinster (G1) in last start, finishing third: “It was a great move (laughs).”

Does this ease the pain of not having Sovereignty in Classic: “A little bit. They are separate

races, separate owners. We still grieve a little bit for Sovereignty’s crew and the connections

there. Look, as long as he is healthy and comes out of this in good shape, we will be happy.”

Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Scylla) –

“She’s a filly, so you just have to get out of her

way. She wants to do things her own way. I think, today, when she broke out of there very

aggressively that was my first thought. ‘If you want to do it, I’m gonna let you do it.’ And that’s

what she did. She went a little quicker at first part to get to the lead, but like I said she was doing

it fairly easy for her. In the second quarter, I could feel she slowed down. She came back to me.

She relaxed, so, I was very happy. Once we hit the half-mile pole, I was like, ‘oh boy, I mean, I

feel loaded right now.’ And then when I turned for home and she just like rebroke again and I

mean, it was an outstanding race today for her.”

Second-place trainer Mark Casse (Nitrogen) – “I’m proud of her. She ran her butt off. She ran

her butt off. I think we know who the champion 3-year-old filly is now. That’s what I wanted for

her. I think she earned it today.”

Second-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Nitrogen) –

“My filly ran unbelievable. I had a great trip but

just weren’t able to catch the winner. The winner just went to the lead in fast fractions and just

kept going. I think we secured the 3-year-old filly championship so we’re very happy about that.

We obviously wanted to win but happy to secure the championship.”

Third-place trainer D. Whitworth Beckman (Regaled) – “She ran awesome, man. We were

expecting a big race. I think with a couple breaks, that could have gone faster, but we were still

really happy with her. Thrilled. Honestly, I think the Falls City (G3, Nov. 27) might be next.”

Third-place jockey (Joseph Ramos) (Regaled) – “We were expecting to have some space (to

run) early and the (frontrunners) didn’t weaken as much as I had hoped. I was in a great spot on

the far turn and when I asked for run, I knew I had horse under me. I thought we were going to

get second but still she put in a great effort.”

Fourth-place and 13th

-placed-trainer Brendan Walsh (Clicquot and Gin Gin) – “Clicquot

ran her race and was in a good spot and traveled well. I just think, when they turned in, she just

tired. They were going a good pace in front of her. We train her and ran her all this year with

next year in mind, so she’s a Grade 1 winner already and I can’t wait to see her back in the barn

in a few months. She’s going to be some filly next year.

“Luis (Saez) said Gin Gin hit the gate pretty hard. She just wasn’t the same after that and didn’tbreak like she normally does. She was never really comfortable. It’s a little disappointing, but I

think she’ll be fine. We’ll keep an eye on her. It’s just a little bit of a pity, you know, when

something like that happens.”

Seventh-place trainer Ignacio Correas, IV (Sarawak Rim) – “I think that after the break

everything was done. She came out with a little run at the end but after that break there was not

much hope for anything.”

On it being his last race:

“It’s great to do it on this stage. I’m thankful to everybody that have helped me for that long. It

was an honor to be here.”