QE II Challenge Cup (Grade 1)- $750.00 Purse
KEE- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
October 10, 2026

Last month, Calileach ran on the turf for the first time this year in the six and a half furlong $1,500.00 Grade 2 Music City Stakes, and took home the top prize. Now running longer, she would look to get a Grade 1 victory in the QE II Challenge Cup and was not about to let the rain get in her way. Routes are what she had done more of in her career, so the distance was not seen as being any sort of issue, and that’s exactly what happened as she came from behind to get the victory. It doesn’t seem to matter what surface that Calileach is on, what the weather is like, or what distance you ask her to run, she’s going to be a threat in all of them. She was among our picks for the win, but not the top choice. This talented filly is trained by Jerry Garcia Racing who wins the race for the third time. His prior two winners are surely a trip down memory lane for him: Atonement in 2006 and the late Queen Lyphard in 2012. L Salles was aboard for his first win in this race. Congratulations to them! The time of the race on the soft turf was 1:51.45. Let’s take a look at it!

(½ Mile- :48.16)- The three fillies that start from the outside are not about to let their posts get in the way of a good start as they all push to the front. Avicea, trained by Mb Stables, will be the quickest of those three, and pulls out to a length advantage on post-time favorite Valley Center, from Nakamura Stables. Right behind her, the other double digit post starter, Diablo Diablo’s Shot Of Summer is also well clear of the rest of the pack. You have to go back five lengths from Avicea to see the next group of three, who are all running alongside one another. Blanco Fromthe Bronx is on the rail here for Panionios Racing, with Luz International’s Unfinished Symphony between horses, and Royalty Stables- trained Shakir in the third lane. Behind them, Noble Party, who’s owned by Nakamura Stables, is next on the rail, and the one beside her is our eventual winner of the race, Calileach, from Jerry Garcia Stables. You can officially score her as seven lengths out, and while she’s not known for being a pace setter, this is a little further off the pace than we usually see her. John3sixteen (TwinTowersRacing) and The Valley Remnant (Winning Link Stables) are a length behind them, with the trailers being Whirlwind Spirit (Acber Farms) and Lucy Heat (The Sidley Stud).

(3/4 Mile- 1:13.13)- Avicea handles the opening six furlongs very well, showing the way down the backstretch while extending her advantage a bit. Valley Center supporters are likely becoming concerned now that Shot Of Summer is already making a pass on her for the second position. Further back, Unfinished Symphony is about a half length ahead of her running mates early on, both Blanco fromthe Bronx and Shakir, but they are still five lengths off the pace. Calileach looks a little more racy here than Noble Party was, and at the top of the turn, L Salles moves her four wide in hopes to pass as many as possible within the turn and then pounce in the stretch. Whirlwind Spirit is also coming to life, passing The Valley Remnant and John3sixteen while setting her own sights on those in front of her. Lucy Heat hasn’t shown much as of yet.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Out in front, Avicea continues to lead and will now look to bring home in the stretch run. Shot Of Summer runs in the second position, but still about two lengths back while Valley Center has been able to remain steady in the third spot. Neither of them have made a push for the lead, however. Unfinished Symphony is the first one that’s looking like a threat, moving into the fourth, but much closer to the two in front of her, and it doesn’t seem like it will be too long for her to make those passes. Longshot Blanco Fromthe Bronx is able to hang with those in the front part of the field, though the biggest threat was lurking behind her. That would be Calileach, who used her four wide trip in the turn to pull even with Shakir and gain significant distance on those in front of her. She’d need Avicea to get leg weary in the stretch, and with a clear lane in front of her, seemed to be in a great position. Her biggest issue was likely whether or not she could pass Unfinished Symphony, who was also full of run. Elsewhere, Noble Party and Whirlwind Spirit were holding steady, but that’s not good enough at this point. Lucy Heat found her spark within the turn, and was moved to the outside to make a deep close. The Valley Remnant was done for the day now, and prayers were needed for John 3sixteen.

(Finish- 1:51.45)- With a furlong to go, Avicea looked like she might hold on, still leading by a length and a half. The race for second was heating up, as Shot Of Summer looked to hold off Unfinished Symphony and the gaining Calileach. Blanco Fromthe Bronx looked to light up the board 40/1, moving off the rail with a clear lane for herself to come through here as well. In the final moments of the race, Avicea’s legs went from looking good enough to having enough and that race for second was now going to be a race for the win. While a few of them looked to have a shot, none would capitalize better than Calileach, who was full of run on the outside, proving that it doesn’t matter how long you ask her to run, she’s going to fight to the finish as she not only grabs the win but does so by nearly a length. Unfinished Symphony, does get up for second, but did not become as strong of a threat for the win as it seemed like she might. Lucy Heat came from way back to be third, but her run didn’t begin early enough. A dead heat for the fourth place check will go to Avicea, who gets a little something for her efforts, as well as Blanco Fromthe Bronx, who was feisty in her first graded start. Shot Of Summer and Noble Party can also be seen in that photo. It’s a length and half to Whirlwind Spirit and Shakir, and its rounded out by the two valleys, Valley Center and The Valley Remnant. Wait, hold on! There is one more! We’re proud to report that eventually, John 3sixteen finished the race as well.

About The Winner- Calileach, trained by Jerry Garcia Racing and ridden to victory by L Salles, is a three year old filly by Winter Book and is out of Expressed Prayers. She was bred in Kentucky as a second quarter two year old by Jerry Garcia Racing, the only trainer for which she has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fifth in 13 starts, her fourth stake win and third graded win. Her career earnings are now up to $1,740.32.

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES