Ginger Punch gave her sire a second straight Distaff winner after Round Pond in 2006 (Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com)

Stronach Stable's homebred GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) had to be supplemented into Saturday's $2,070,160 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and vindicated her connections' decision with a gut-wrenching neck victory under Rafael Bejarano. With Hystericalady (Distorted Humor) shoving and pushing her into the rail, Ginger Punch dug in and battled back in the stretch to complete the nine furlongs over Monmouth's sloppy, sealed dirt in 1:50.

Bear Now (Tiznow) was quickest out of the gate, sprinting to the lead through fractions of :23 3/5 and :46 3/5 while tracked by Hystericalady in the middle and Ginger Punch on the inside. Unable to sustain her run through the mud, Bear Now began backing up around the turn, leaving the way clear for a tremendous stretch run. Ginger Punch continued her path along the rail, but found herself pushed and prodded as Hystericalady moved toward the inside from the center of the track. The blazed-faced chestnut came back on as three-year-old Octave (Unbridled's Song) surged down the middle of the dirt, getting in front of Hystericalady with their mud-splattered sophomore rival just behind in third.

Ginger Punch (inside) is now the undisputed divisional leader (Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com)

Sent off as the 9-2 second choice, Ginger Punch gave back $11, $6.20 and $4.40 while keying the $141.60 exacta, $534.70 trifecta ($1) and $3,418.50 superfecta ($1) (4-12-8-5). Hystericalady was worth $9.60 and $7.20 for her game second at 9-1, while hard-luck Octave returned $5 for show at 7-1. Lady Joanne (Orientate), who attended the early pace, followed in fourth and next came Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow), Balance (Thunder Gulch), Tough Tiz's Sis (Tiznow), Bear Now, Indian Vale (A.P. Indy), 9-2 favorite Lear's Princess (Lear Fan), Teammate (A.P. Indy) and Prop Me Up (Reparations).

Frankel wasn't able to make it to Monmouth as he was at home in California caring for his sick dog Happy, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Though he wasn't in the winner's circle, Frankel was justified in his faith in Ginger Punch after she ran third in the Beldame S. (G1) prior to this race. Before that Belmont test, the four-year-old was unstoppable in three graded races, earning her first stakes win in the First Flight H. (G2) before adding the Go for Wand H. (G1) and Ruffian H. (G1). She's also placed in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) and Madison S. (G2) this season, and improved her mark to 14-7-5-1 having now accumulated $1,901,679 in lifetime earnings.