The Breeders’ Cup Scramble is On

You know the old saying, in order to make an omelet, you need to break a few eggs. This past weekend provided the last set of races for Breeders’ Cup hopefuls to turn their connections dreams into reality and be part of the smorgasbord that is the World Championships of Racing. For some though, it proved to be the end of the BC road as hopes were cracked and left to be swept off the kitchen floor. Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup displayed the best performance of the weekend, as Harmonious sizzled home by more than four lengths in the race of the year for three-year-old turf fillies. The win sends the talented daughter of Dynaformer to the BC Filly & Mare Turf on a high note. That is hopefully, as the decision to send her has not yet been made. Meanwhile third place finisher Evening Jewel tired a bit Saturday, but may prove one of the ones to beat in the shorter distance of the Filly & Mare Sprint, and Check the Label, previously thought of as one of the division leaders, likely saw her Breeders’ Cup hopes fizzle after a dull sixth place finish.  ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here

The QE II Challenge Cup is a Melting Pot of Female Grass Class

Eight horses and not a mediocre one in the bunch. This afternoon’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup has drawn an all-star field of three-year-old turf fillies set to stake their claim as tops in their division. Run at nine furlongs over the Keeneland turf course, the QE II has carved out a spot as the premiere race of the excellent Fall meet at the Lexington, Kentucky track, and this year is no exception. They will be coming from the East Coast, Midwest, West Coast, Canada, and France to compete, and one thing is for sure, the winner of this race will have earned a true grade one victory. Evening Jewel, a Californian, and Check the Label, based in Maryland, are the two with the most credentials and should vie for favoritism today. ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here