QE II Challenge Cup (Grade 1)- $750.000 Purse
KEE- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
October 12, 2024

The biggest race of the day on Saturday in our virtual racing world will be the 20th running of the QE II Challenge Cup, a Grade 1 race that sends three-year-old fillies nine furlongs around the turf course at KEE. The $750.000 that is offered represents a new high for the stake, as it had been at $600.000 for the last two years, and lower amounts before that. Some of the past winners include Soliloquy, Attraction, and Maggie Greene. Last year, it was November Storm grabbing the win for Mb Stables, and she has gone on to continue to have a steady career at the graded level. She was last seen last week in the Grade 3 Waya at AQU, running fifth. This year, we will have ten heading to the starting gate, and it is time to take our run through the field:

1- Magic Dust (Fractious, ridden by F Geroux)- Starting this off, we get this Soho Jackman filly that finished second in the Grade 2 Mabee Stakes at DMR. She’s done a very good job with hitting the board in stakes, with efforts much like that one, but is still looking for that first stake victory. That is likely just a matter of when, rather than if, and her Mabee effort did earn a 99 SRF. Never been in a grade 1 before, but I don’t see any reason to believe she can’t be in contention here.

2- Cacciadiavola (Smokey Stover, ridden by D E Centeno)- Off to a great start in career, with four wins in five starts. In June, she won the $150.000 Wild Applause at AQU, which came a month after the only race has not won. Nothing wrong with that one, though, as she placed third in the Grade 2 Edgewood with a come from behind effort on soft turf at CD. She seems to have abandoned that tactic over her last two races, with stalking trips in her last two races. Last ran in late August, winning an optional claimer at SAR, so she hasn’t always taken on the best of her division.

3- Supine (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by Mar Garcia)- Made her name known to the virtual racing world in August, with a victory in the Grade 1 DMR Oaks, getting the head bob over Superface Party in that one. Afterwards, she was stretched out a bit to run in the $1,500.000 Dueling Ground Oaks, and she performed well, settling for a hard earned fourth place check in a deep field. Looks to keep her great form going and will be glad to have Mar Garcia in the saddle once again.

4- Spirit Storm (Nakamura Stables, ridden by A A Gallardo)- This is not her turf debut, but the only time she has run on the grass was her first career start last November. She did well on the dirt, so much so that she was able to get into the KYO and ran third there. Then, Nakamura gave her big test, and to run against the boys in the BEL. That didn’t go well, and she really hasn’t bounced back from that at this level. Yes, she did win an optional claimer at DMR. Now, it’s back to the grass in a very challenging manner.

5- Right As Rain (Alydar Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This is another filly that ran last month in the Dueling Ground Oaks, but Right As Rain was not able to pick up a good finish. That was a bit of a surprise, because she had run well in each of the BEL Oaks and SAR Oaks, running second in each of them. She has had the occasional tough race and been able to bounce back, so the trainer can be optimistic that will happen again. Still looking for her true signature win, right now that would be the $100.000 LA Futurity- Fillies from last year.

6- Exulted Rene (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by T Gaffalione)- In ten starts, Exulted Rene has managed two wins, but nothing bigger than a $26.000 allowance at LS. She had an inconsistent start to her career, but after that win the trainer had elevated confidence in the filly and ran her at the graded level. She’s done reasonably well, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Lake Placid and third in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks. The caveat there is that each were only five horse fields. Now, she has a chance to really prove herself.

7- Lakota Wind (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by A Cedillo)- The profit continues to add up for Mo Mentum Farm on this one, since he only needed $9.500 to claim him. Lakota Wind was stake bound immediately after and has managed two wins in five starts and has finished at least fourth all of them. The Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap from DMR is her biggest win thus far, but strong runs in the DMR Oaks and Dueling Grounds Oaks, placing second in the latter show that she is a threat to win every time she is out there, including here.

8- Tokushima (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- Until her last race, this filly would be considered a very consistent runner, and had a strong SAR meet. At the Spa, she ran second in the Lake George before going on to win the Grade 2 Lake Placid. Then, for some strange reason, she was poor in the Grade 1 Taylor Stakes at WO last month. For her to be here after that, I am confident that the trainer knows why that happened and that it will not happen again. We’ll throw that out, but this is still a tough assignment.

9- Pragmatic (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Twice in the pick em last week, and now right here, Mb Stables has two runners in the far outside two posts in a race. Also, another in the pick em where it was posts 10 and 11 in a 12-horse field. But the trainer will be pragmatic about that situation and leave it to the SRF to mention. Okay, guess we should talk about this filly now! Well, she’s won three of six if you want to go back deeper, but recently has been sixth in two of her last three starts. The better outing was in the Pucker Up Stakes at ELP where she was second. Capable, but I like her stablemate more.

10- Superface Party (Mb Stables, ridden by W T Buick)- After winning the Lake George at SAR, this filly made a trip out west for the DMR Oaks and nearly pulled it off. Instead, she settled for a second-place finish, defeated by Supine at the wire by the narrowest of margins. She would love to get revenge from that race right here. Last time out, she added a little distance to compete in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks at AQU, and she would get the win. Expect her to be near the front again.

Prediction: 7-10-3-2

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES