After two near misses at the highest level, Her Emmynency earned her first Grade I victory in Lexington Saturday afternoon with a very narrow double-digit upset in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Breaking a bit to the right, the longshot was quickly straightened out by Florent Geroux and sent up to challenge pacesetting Mizz Money (Mizzen Mast). Pressing that rival from second through opening fractions of :23.40 and :47.30, the bay swiftly took command from the three path entering the far turn. The sophomore began to extend clear along the rail in the lane, but was soon confronted by Miss Temple City and that pair battled to the line with Her Emmynency holding on in a tight photo finish.
“She had two really tough defeats in Grade Is previously, so this was well deserved for her,” winning trainer Mike Stidham commented. “Florent [Geroux] did a great job. From two to three, she's come a long way in maturity. She's a very nice filly.”
“The race went very well,” Geroux remarked. “She broke forwardly, and I was able to put her in good position right off the bat. From there, I just sat chilly and waited for horses to make a run at the top of the stretch. When I asked her turning for home, she gave me a good kick and she was very brave all the way to the end.”
The owner of Miss Temple City lodged an objection for interference turning for home, but it was disallowed by the stewards. Her rider Drayden Van Dyke said, “It was great until we turned for home. I committed to going inside because there was space. Her Emmynency came down and I had to check.”
Breaking from the outside post in this nine-horse affair, favored MGSW Sentiero Italia came running late for third after a wide trip all the way around. Pilot Joel Rosario said, “She took a little bit of time to really get into the race and then finished well. It looked like [Her Emmynency] kept on going. It was hard to catch them. I thought we were going to be a little closer. We'll see what [owner Godolphin and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin] want to do [about running in the Breeders' Cup], but she's a nice filly.”
A debut winner over Del Mar's old synthetic track last August, Her Emmynency missed by just a neck to Sunset Glow (Exchange Rate) in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. four weeks late. Switched to the turf, she finished out her juvenile campaign with a victory in Santa Anita's Surfer Girl S. this time last year. The bay kicked off this term with a narrow optional claimer victory in an Arlington off-the-turfer June 20, for which Geroux was aboard. A head-scratching sixth behind Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the grassy GII San Clemente H. at Del Mar July 19, Her Emmynency was a close second in the GI Del Mar Oaks when extended to nine panels for the first time Aug. 15.
The winner's dam Chic Dancer, winner of the 2006 GIII Modesty H., has a 2-year-old daughter named Jete Ete (Summer Bird), who was unplaced in her Arlington debut Aug. 30. She also produced a yearling filly by Hat Trick (Jpn) and a weanling colt by Fort Prado and was bred back to Curlin.
Saturday, Keeneland
QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP S.-GI, $500,000, KEE, 10-10, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.84, fm.
1–@&HER EMMYNENCY, 121, f, 3, by Successful Appeal
1st Dam: Chic Dancer (GSW, $308,336), by Joyeux Danseur
2nd Dam: Stylish Accent, by Beau's Eagle
3rd Dam: Ubetshedid, by King Pellinore
($115,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Ike & Dawn Thrash; B-S. D. Brilie
L.P. (KY); T-Michael Stidham; J-Florent Geroux. $300,000.
Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-0, $540,250. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Miss Temple City, 121, f, 3, Temple City–Glittering Tax, by
Artax. ($10,000 RNA Ylg '13 KEEJAN). O-Sagamore Farm,
Allen Rosenblum & The Club Racing LLC; B-Bob Feld Bloodstock
(KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $100,000.
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3–Sentiero Italia, 121, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Golden Way (Ire),
by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). O-Godolphin Racing LLC; B-Darley
(KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin. $50,000.
Margins: HD, 2 3/4, HD. Odds: 19.00, 8.50, 0.70.
Also Ran: Olorda (Ger), Return to Grace, Blond Me (Ire), Prize Exhibit (GB), Feathered, Mizz Money.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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