A really sturdy subject of 10 is entered to run in Saturday’s $750,000, Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Problem Cup Stakes Introduced by Dixiana at Keeneland Race Course. The QE II is among the most important stakes races on turf in North America for 3-year-old fillies, yearly drawing the cream of the crop from North America and infrequently luring some high quality European fillies.
That’s the case this yr, as half the fillies entered in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile race have received or positioned of their most up-to-date begins, and two others enter off third-place finishes in prestigious turf races in Europe. Caitlinhergrtness leads the sector in profession earnings at $627,069, highlighted by a win within the $1 million King’s Plate Stakes on an all-weather observe in August. Not far behind is Waves of Mischief at $606,247, who received the Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes in August. Among the many relaxation, Pin Up Betty received the Grade 3 Remorse Stakes in June at 1 1/8 miles and was second behind Waves of Mischief within the Pucker Up. Grayosh and She Feels Fairly completed first and second, respectively, when separated by a neck within the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes Introduced by Caesars Sportsbook in August and add extra depth to the sector. Buchu received the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes Introduced by Japan Racing Affiliation on the Keeneland turf within the spring and was second behind Pin Up Betty within the Remorse. Pounce received the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes in July over Oversubscribed, who received the Wild Applause Stakes previous to that. The 2 European invaders deliver high credentials as nicely. Soprano received the Sandringham Stakes in June and the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey Stakes in August, whereas Candala received the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte Stakes in April.
High win contenders:
Waves of Mischief has greater than only a professional shot to win this yr’s Queen Elizabeth II Problem Cup Stakes. She received in her profession debut in April on the Keeneland turf, then was stepped up in school within the Hilltop Stakes and completed third. An irrelevant race on an all-weather observe adopted that, however when put again on grass for the Pucker Up Stakes on Aug. 4, Waves of Mischief confirmed a ton of skill when reeling within the chief after sluggish fractions to rise up by a head on the wire. The chief in deep stretch was Pin Up Betty, who received the Remorse Stakes at 1 1/8 miles distance two months earlier. Waves of Mischief and Pin Up Betty earned 112 Equibase Pace Figures within the Pucker Up, that are by far the very best profitable figures earned by any horse on this subject. After the Pucker Up, Waves of Mischief rallied properly within the final eighth of a mile to go from fifth, after which to second, within the $1.6 million Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes. In each sense, Waves of Mischief has no knocks in any respect and might be the one to beat even on this high quality subject.
Pin Up Betty has completed first or second in 5 of seven races this yr, all however considered one of them (her first begin in January) on turf. As mentioned above, her greatest effort got here on the distance of this race when crushed a head on the wire by Waves of Mischief within the Pucker Up Stakes. In that race, Pin Up Betty took the lead after a half-mile had been run and opened up a two-length lead with an eighth of a mile to run. That isn’t her most popular operating model, and the jockey change within the QE II to Luis Saez might be key to her operating a race just like the one put forth when profitable the Remorse Stakes in June. In that race, Saez had Pin Up Betty settled again in final within the subject of seven, however when requested to run she rapidly handed the sector to be in entrance with an eighth of a mile to run. Most not too long ago, within the Dueling Grounds Oaks, Pin Up Betty moved up rapidly from fifth to 3rd however then had no additional kick. She’ll be slicing again from a mile and five-sixteenths to the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Remorse and Pucker Up, and with Saez getting again on, it’s actually potential Pin Up Betty will run among the finest races of her profession by repeating the 112 determine she earned within the Pucker Up.
She Feels Fairly was the odds-on favourite within the Lake Placid Stakes in August at Saratoga and ran ok to win however got here up a neck quick on the end line. She engaged with QE II which can assist her dig in if battling once more. Moreover, she attracts an inside submit in comparison with Grayosh, the other of their submit positions within the Lake Placid, the place Grayosh had a extra inside place. Grayosh has improved her figures in her final three races – from 87, to 91, to 104. She Feels Fairly earned a career-best 108 determine when crushed three-quarters of a size and ending third within the Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes previous to the Lake Placid. As such, it might be no shock if each fillies had been within the thick of the motion on the finish.
The remainder of the sector, with their greatest Equibase Pace Figures, is Buchu (106), Candala (113), Caitlinhergrtness (100), Oversubscribed (98), Pounce (101) and Soprano (116).
High contenders:
