Time and Motion looks to put Darby Dan back on scoreboard in Queen Elizabeth

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the infancy of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, fillies owned by Darby Dan Farm and its affiliates won the race a remarkable five times in a 10-year span.

It has now been 20 years since a filly won the QE II for the Galbreath or Phillips families – who have operated Darby Dan over the years – with Memories of Silver being their last winner in 1996. So, there’s nothing that trainer Jimmy Toner would like to do more than end the drought Saturday with Time and Motion, one of the favorites among a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered in the Grade 1 turf race.

“The Queen Elizabeth is always on the front burner for Darby Dan and John Phillips,” Toner said in reference to farm owner John Phillips, who is the grandson of Darby Dan founder John Galbreath. “It’s been a long time between drinks for us, so we’d love to get one again if we could.”

Time and Motion, a daughter of Tapit, will be rematched in the 1 1/8-mile QE II with Catch a Glimpse, the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner. In their last meeting Aug. 21, Time and Motion surged late to win the Lake Placid at Saratoga by a neck, snapping an eight-race win streak for Catch a Glimpse.

“I couldn’t ask for our filly to be doing any better coming into this,” said Toner.

From the rail, this is the QE II field: Catch a Glimpse, On Leave, Stays in Vegas, Harmonize, Hawksmoor, Try Your Luck, Time and Motion, Queen Caroline, and Mokat.

As the ninth of 10 Saturday races, the QE II will be part of a late pick-four wager (races 7-10) with a $350,000 pool guarantee.