McKulick (GB) Tops Brown Duo in Saturday’s $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana

By Amy Owens —-

McKulick (GB) Tops Brown Duo in Saturday’s
$600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana

LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 12, 2022) – Klaravich Stables’ McKulick, winner of the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) this summer and most recently winner of the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3), tops a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 39th running of the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana.

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, which is run at 1 1/8 miles on the grass, will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

McKulick is one of two entrants to be trained by Chad Brown, who has won this race four times including 2021 with Shantisara (IRE). Never worse than third in seven career starts, McKulick will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who accounted for three stakes victories here last Saturday. She will break from post position six.

Brown’s other entrant is Peter Brant’s Gina Romantica. Runner-up in the Pebbles (G3) in her most recent start, Gina Romantica won her grass debut in the Riskaverse (L) in the race prior to the Pebbles.

Flavien Prat has the mount on Gina Romantica and will break from post two.

The field for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, with riders from the rail out, is: California Angel (Rafael Bejarano), Gina Romantica (Prat), She’s Gone (Luis Saez), New Year’s Eve (Tyler Gaffalione), Bellabel (IRE) (Umberto Rispoli), McKulick (GB) (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Paris Peacock (Florent Geroux). All starters will carry 121 pounds.

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Since its first race meet more than 85 years ago, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts four sales a year, in January, April, September and November. Graduates of Keeneland sales dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2015 and 2020 and is holding the event again on Nov. 4-5, 2022. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research, and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains the Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institution with the mission of preserving information about the Thoroughbred industry. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.

For more information contact Amy Gregory at 859 361-3490 or Amy Owens at 859 421-2566