Spinster – G1
$650.00 For Fillies And Mares Three Years And Upward
1 1/8 Miles – Dirt
Keeneland – October 4, 2026

It is the time of year for mingling. When the three year olds begin to venture outside of the safe confines of their age restricted Derbys and Oaks and test their mettle against the older battle tested veterans of the sport and see if they have what it takes to carry their early talent on. The Spinster is exactly such a race. It is traditionally a major prep race for the G1 BC Distaff and this year it has the added bonus of being run at the same track on which the Distaff will be run in just a few weeks time. It also offers instant entry into the Distaff for the winner. So while it may be a prestigious race on its own and a perfect prep for a horse already secure in their place in the gate come Breeders Cup it is a lifeline to entry for any horse either blooming late or having not had the best of seasons thus far. We have a full and talented field of thirteen so pour a drink and settle in while we take a look.

1. Altered State (Mb Stables/J.R. Velasquez) She is already guaranteed a spot in the Breeders Cup if she wants it. In the Filly & Mare Sprint. She is the top rated female sprinter and she has not raced beyond seven furlongs since an eleventh place finish in the Acorn of her three year old year. She has been so good all year long with three graded stakes wins that I don’t think it would be a major surprise for her to hit the wire first yet again. 

2. Pineapple Puff (Nakamura Stables/D.E. Centeno) A three year old who is testing herself against older horses for the first time. She is another who has had a superlative season with two G1 wins in both the Acorn and the CCA Oaks. In addition to those wins she has a close second in the G1 KY Oaks and was most recently third in the G1 Alabama at Saratoga. The old girls might have a fight on their hands. 

3. Present Tense (Mb Stables/R. Santana Jr.) The seven year old mare is the grand dame of the field with a gaudy $4,137.63 in career earnings. She sports sixteen wins and thirteen seconds in her fourty-nine race career. She has ten graded stakes wins to her credit and won last year’s Distaff. Like I said…gaudy. For all of that though she has not found the winner’s circle since last year’s Breeder’s Cup victory. Needs to find her old spark but her best race this season was at this distance.  

4. Bunny Connection (Nakamura Stables/A.R. Rodriguez) The second of four three year olds in the field. She has won four of her eight races this season and five of nine lifetime. Bunny Connection is also coming off of her first graded stakes win having won the G3 Pine Stakes at Del Mar at the end of August. Will get a major class test but has not really put a hoof wrong thus far. 

5. Fire Missile (Mb Stables/P. Lopez) Another three year old and the third entrant from the Mb Stables barn. She stepped up big time when she took the G1 Alabama at Saratoga this summer beating the best of her crop. However, she disappointed next time out in the G1 Cotillion. Obviously talented but has yet to show that Alabama form consistently. 

6. Menancing Shadow (La Canada Racehorses/G. Corrales) After a disappointing eight place finish in the G3 HOU Ladies Classic. She took a step back after that and ran in a few confidence building allowance races before re-emerging in graded stakes last month when she ran a fast closing second in the G3 ONT Matron Stakes. That encouraging return to form leads to her entry here and at her best she can make her presence felt. 

7. Beautiful Eileen (TwinTowersRacing/R.M. Hernandez) She has been given a chance to earn some graded black type seven times and has yet to hit the board. Her last three starts were a sixth in the G1 Phipps, a ninth in the G2 Shuvee and a seventh in the Tranquility Lake Stakes. She is a stakes winner as  a three year old but it is hard to back her on current form. 

8. Down On The Beat (Winning Link Stables/B. Curtis) Four year old mare has found the best form of her career in her last four starts. She won the G2 Ruffian Handicap by an impressive three lengths. She followed that up with a close third in the G1 Phipps and win in the G2 Fleur De Lis Handicap and a fourth in the G1 Hirsch Stakes. She is assured entry into the Distaff by virtue of her win in the Fleur De Lis. Dangerous.

9. One Spirit (Nakamura Stables/S.X. Bridgmohan) Five year old mare is a multiple graded stakes winner and has earned over $2,600.00. That is incredibly impressive and on the surface you would think makes her a major contender but all of her success has been on the grass. She broke her maiden on the dirt and her works on the surface are fast so there is nothing that says it is out of the question for her to win this but this is something new for her and has to be considered a test despite all of her accomplishments. 

10. Great Eclipse (Night Rider Stables/T. Gaffalione) She stepped up into graded stakes for the first time this year as a six year old and found great success. She missed winning the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap by a neck back in April. She then won the G2 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita and followed that up with a third in the G1 Hirsch Stakes. She posted 100 SRF speed figures in all three of those efforts. Her last race was a step back when she finished eigth in the G3 ONT Matron Stakes but her three previous races were so good you have to throw that last race out and consider her a threat. 

11. Boardwalk Freak (Noblepark/J. NavMarin) The last of the four three year olds in the field draws a challenging post. She may not have the credentials of most of the field but she has shown some talent. She is still looking for her first stakes win but she has definitely been knocking on the door. She finished on the board in five straight stakes with three of those being graded events. Tough field to look for that breakthrough though.

12. Great Smoke (D J C Racing Stables/R.L. Moore) This four year old is very lightly raced. She has only raced nine times but she has won five of them. Her 2026 season shows seven starts with four first place finishes. Patience has paid off as this late bloomer became a stakes winner in her first try when she won the G3 Trillium Stakes in July. She has raced one time since which was a credible fourth in the G1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga. She only lost by a length that day and proved she can hang with the big girls. Post position doesn’t help her but don’t count her out. 

13. Vanilla Ice (Caseys Llc/K. Frey) Purchased for $100.00 in mid September following her first stakes win in July when she took the Garofalo Memorial for PA breds. She made her first start for her new barn five days after the sale and finished second in the Forever Together on a wet track that saw a couple of scratches leaving a three horse field. She comes back on dirt just a couple of weeks later and eleven pounds lighter than that second place run. On top of that she gets the bad luck of drawing the far outside post thirteen. Trainer is doing well in their freshman year but this is a very formidable field for this filly to overcome so much. 

Superstar race so you have to pick the superstars right? Not necessarily but I am going to. Put Pineapple Puff on top followed by Altered State, Down On The Beat and Present Tense. Great field.  

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES