Poet's Word by a neck in King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

They settled this year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in house.

Crystal Ocean, trained by Michael Stoute, stalked a strong pace, easily made the lead with a little more than two of the race’s 12 furlongs remaining, and opened up under William Buick on the way, it appeared, to victory. But several paths closer to stands filled with a crescendoing crowd, there came Poet’s Word, trained by Stoute, cutting away at Crystal Ocean’s lead.

Poet’s Word and James Doyle closed in a furlong from the finish, drew even, and lunged to win by a neck in a thrilling renewal of the important Group 1 fixture at Ascot.

It was Stoute over Stoute as Stoute set a record for King George wins by a trainer, this being his sixth.

Over good-to-firm going, Poet’s Word was timed in 2:25.84, more than two seconds faster than par for the distance at Ascot.

One invited guest not present for the party – Cracksman, who was scratched earlier in the day after forecast rain failed to materialize, leaving the course too fast and firm for trainer John Gosden’s liking.

The good filly Hydrangea raced but figuratively failed to show up, fading to last when asked for run three furlongs out. Her Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Rostropovich set a strong pace and had nothing for the last part, finishing fifth. Coronet, a Gosden charge who did start, managed third but might as well have been in a different race, coming in nine lengths behind the top pair.

The 4-year-old Crystal Ocean, by Sea The Stars, was making only his second foray into Group 1 competition, having finished second to Capri in the English St. Leger last fall. Stamina is no issue here, and Crystal Ocean ran well in defeat, but Crystal Ocean on Saturday looked like a horse who thrives staying on at a steady tempo.

Poet’s Word, meanwhile, had only one horse beat 3 1/2 furlongs out and commenced a long, determined run highlighting the consistent progress he has made as a racehorse over the last year. The 5-year-old, by Poet’s Voice and out of Whirly Bird, by Nashwan, never had raced beyond 1 1/4 miles before finishing second to Hawkbill in the $6 million, 1 1/2-mile Sheema Classic on the Dubai World Cup undercard, and Poet’s Word has advanced beyond Hawkbill’s realm. He captured his first Group 1 in beating Cracksman by more than two lengths in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and now has gotten his second while showing he can excel over 1 1/2 miles.

That’s the distance of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and the King George was a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In race linked to the BC Turf, giving Poet’s Word automatic entry into the race and his connections travel expenses to Churchill Downs. Poet’s World already has shipped to Dubai and Hong Kong, and Stoute has often pointed horses for Breeders’ Cup races, so there’s a good chance American race fans will get a firsthand look at Poet’s Word this fall.