Brown has solid trio in deep QEII renewal

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s hard to keep track anymore. Chad Brown horses have swept the top three spots in so many graded turf stakes in America that a feat once regarded as a rarity is becoming a regularity.

And now, here he is, intent on doing it again. Brown will send out three fillies Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, and although there won’t be a proposition wager offered on whether they sweep the trifecta, perhaps there should be.

Cambier Parc, Cafe Americano, and Regal Glory are the Brown trio who will garner a major share of wagering action ahead of the QE II, a 1 1/8-mile turf fixture that goes as the ninth of 10 races on a Saturday card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

“Geez,” said Graham Motion, who will saddle Varenka in trying to upset the Brown contingent. “It’s a battle every weekend trying to beat Chad in something.”

Varenka dead-heated for win with Regal Glory in the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga, further establishing herself as a player in the upper ranks of 3-year-old turf fillies. After a couple of solid runner-up finishes in turf stakes at 2, she has won 3 of 4 starts this year, including a maiden win at Belmont Park and an allowance win at Saratoga.

“Our filly clearly will have to step up, but she hasn’t done much wrong and she’s very game,” said Motion, who won the QE II in 2003 when Film Maker prevailed by a nose. “The race runs through Chad, although overall it looks like a very deep group, very competitive.”

Varenka, an Augustin Stable homebred by Ghostzapper, will have Javier Castellano back aboard when she breaks from post 8.

“One thing that led us to this race was Javier wanted to stick with her and take a shot, which speaks a lot to me,” said Motion.

As for Brown, his trifecta sweeps across the map include Grade 1 races such as the 2018 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland, the 2018 Beverly D. at Arlington Park, the 2019 Manhattan at Belmont Park, and the 2019 Diana at Saratoga. This 36th running of the QE II might well be the next in his collection, given how capable his three fillies have shown themselves.

Cambier Parc (post 3, John Velazquez) shipped west to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks with a powerful rush in her last start and may come slightly favored off that performance. The Medaglia d’Oro filly is 4 for 7 overall, with two other stakes wins to her credit.

Cafe Americano (post 6, Irad Ortiz Jr.), also by Medaglia d’Oro, broke through with a career-best effort in winning the Grade 3 Pucker Up, completing a sweep for Brown of all four graded stakes on the Arlington Million card.

Regal Glory (post 9, Luis Saez) has five wins and two seconds from seven starts and scarcely could be more consistent. Aside from the Lake Placid dead-heat, the daughter of Animal Kingdom has three other stakes wins, including the Penn Oaks and Grade 3 Lake George.

“All three fillies are coming into the race in good shape,” said Brown’s traveling assistant Whit Beckman. “All of them have a pretty good kick.”

Brown, who returned Wednesday to New York after several days at the Tattersalls sale in England, said Thursday he was hoping to be here for the QE II but was unsure of his travel plans. Beckman would deputize with the saddling duties if Brown does not make the trip.

Brown has won the QE II twice, with Dayatthespa (2012) and Rushing Fall (2018). He has 28 stakes wins at Keeneland, with his first coming 10 years ago this month.

The QE II, the last of six Grade 1 races at the 17-day fall meet, was first run in 1984, when Queen Elizabeth II was on hand to present the winner’s trophy during a private visit to central Kentucky. The queen is actually represented in this race as the owner of fringe contender Magnetic Charm (post 7, Florent Geroux), a British-bred who earned a field-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure when she finished a creditable second versus fillies and mares in the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine in her North American debut in September. William Haggas trains.

Rounding out the QE II lineup are Lady Prancealot (post 1, Brian Hernandez Jr.), Kelsey’s Cross (post 2, Julien Leparoux), Princesa Carolina (post 4, Jose Ortiz), and Castle Lady (post 5, Mickael Barzalona).

Of those, Castle Lady may be most dangerous. The Godolphin homebred won the Group 1 French 1000 Guineas at Longchamp in May.

The Saturday card leads off a Bluegrass doubleheader that ends with the Arkansas-Kentucky football game at nearby Kroger Field (7:30 kickoff). A crowd of some 30,000 can be expected here amid sunny skies and a high temperature approaching 60.