Rushing Fall takes them all the way in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Left alone on an easy lead, Rushing Fall turned back her only serious challenger in midstretch before proceeding to an authoritative victory Saturday in the 35th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over the Keeneland turf.

Javier Castellano was aboard Rushing Fall as she marched to her sixth victory in seven starts for the e Five Racing Thoroughbreds of Bob and Kristine Edwards. The Kentucky-bred daughter of More Than Ready returned $2.80 as the heavy favorite in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies after finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.42 over firm going and getting 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She’s just a phenomenal filly,” said Bob Edwards.

Before an ontrack crowd of 23,872 and amid a seasonable chill, Rushing Fall broke sharply from the outside post and was conceded the lead by an eager Fatale Bere when passing under the wire the first time. Into the backstretch and through the far turn, with ears pricked, Rushing Fall went in splits of 23.91, 49.22, and 1:14.82 before Mission Impassible, one of two European shippers, loomed boldly with Florent Geroux aboard.

But Castellano set down Rushing Fall for the drive, and the filly eased away again, winning by 1 1/4 comfortable lengths. Nyaleti, the other European invader, finished third, another 4 3/4 lengths back, and was followed by Princess Warrior, Capla Temptress, Secret Message, and a spent Fatale Bere, who was the 5-1 second choice.

“We handicapped the race and we didn’t see much speed,” said Castellano. After straightening for home, Rushing Fall “was looking around a little bit. I asked her a little bit and she responded. The way she finished, I was really impressed.”

Rushing Fall was yet the latest Grade 1 winner for trainer Chad Brown, who won four Grade 1 events last weekend (Oct. 6-7) alone and watched the QE II from his New York base while deputizing his assistant, Whit Beckman. Brown has ruled out the Breeders’ Cup for Rushing Fall and said he might consider the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar on Dec. 2 for her, adding he might be inclined to “just put her away for the year” and gear up in Florida for a 4-year-old campaign.

“I thought the filly ran great,” said Brown. “It was a brilliant ride from Javier. I’m so proud of him and the horse, they did a great job today.”

The QE II win was the second for Brown, following Dayatthespa in 2012, and the third for Castellano (Bit of Whimsy in 2007 and Dayatthespa).

Rushing Fall, now an earner of $1,308,000, went unbeaten in three starts last year at 2, ending with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. Her only career defeat came by a neck in the Edgewood Stakes on the May 4 Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs. She now has won three graded stakes at Keeneland, having captured the Grade 3 Jessamine here last fall and the Grade 2 Appalachian in the spring. She was coming off an easy win in the Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga in mid-August.

The QE was the sixth and last Grade 1 race of the Keeneland fall meet. The lone scratch from the field was Daddy Is a Legend, who will run instead Friday in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View at 1 1/16 miles.

The $2 exacta (8-5) paid $17.80, the $1 trifecta (8-5-1) returned $28.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-5-1-2) was worth $17.23.

– additional reporting by David Grening