Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup J

AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

An all-star cast of eight will come to grips in Saturday’s $400,000 Queen
Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland, with the title of best sophomore
turf filly on the line. A convincing case could be made for any of the three
principal contenders, but we’re sticking with CHECK THE LABEL (Stormin Fever).
The Graham Motion trainee has improved considerably since the spring, when she
earned her first stakes victory right here in the Appalachian S. (G3). That was
just the beginning of her current four-race winning streak. Whether on firm or
yielding turf, encountering an honest pace or an early crawl, Check the Label
has still mounted the same lethal rally. Even more to her credit, she has
overcome traffic snarls in each of her past three — the Sands Point S. (G2),
Virginia Oaks (G3) and Garden City S. (G1) — to win convincingly, usually with
contemptible ease. All of those scores came at this nine-furlong trip. Although
this is the deepest field she’s ever faced, the dark bay seems to have the
answers to whatever question Ramon Dominguez asks.

French invader ZAGORA (Fr) (Green Tune), representing the ever-dangerous
Jean-Claude Rouget, must be respected in her American debut. The chestnut’s
company lines feature a raft of notable names, yet she’s been holding her own
consistently. Zagora defeated future Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) second
Anna Salai (Dubawi) when winning at first asking as a juvenile, and she just
missed in her 2010 bow to Liliside (American Post), who then passed the post
first in the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1), only to be demoted for causing
interference. Zagora has since gone on to capture the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3) and
Prix de Psyche (Fr-G3), beating the well-regarded Rumoush (Rahy) in the latter,
and she wasn’t disgraced when fifth to the top-class Sarafina (Refuse to Bend
[Ire]) in the French Oaks (Fr-G1). Last time out, Zagora was third in a
three-way finish in the Prix de la Nonette (Fr-G3) to Lily of the Valley
(Galileo [Ire]), who came back to upset Stacelita (Monsun) in the recent Prix de
l’Opera (Fr-G1). On the basis of that form, she’s the horse to beat Saturday, if
she can handle the tighter circuit of Keeneland’s turf course, while shortening
back up to 1 1/8 miles off three straight going longer. Julien Leparoux picks up
the mount.

EVENING JEWEL (Northern Afleet) would be riding a six-race winning streak,
but for a couple of last-jump heartbreakers inflicted upon her by Blind Luck
(Pollard’s Vision). Since getting away from her nemesis, the ultra-consistent
filly has reeled off three in a row on turf, sweeping the Honeymoon H. (G2), San
Clemente H. (G2) and Del Mar Oaks (G1). Evening Jewel was especially impressive
in the latter, showing a push-button turn of foot to seize an opportunity in
traffic for Victor Espinoza. We could be underestimating the Jim Cassidy pupil,
who has finished first or second in 11 starts after her unplaced debut effort.

SNOW TOP MOUNTAIN (Najran) has yet to finish worse than second in her career,
but the rub is that she’s only won one of six turf tries– an entry-level
allowance as a juvenile. After closing admirably against the speed bias in a
pair of listed events at Saratoga, the Tom Proctor trainee finished strongly to
come within a length of Check the Label in the Garden City. Snow Top Mountain
needs to step up her game to topple this group, but of the outsiders, she has
the most appeal at 12-1 on the morning line.

HARMONIOUS (Dynaformer) garnered the American Oaks (G1) in only her fourth
career outing, so the well-bred dark bay has plenty of untapped potential. Her
relative inexperience cost her, though, in the Del Mar Oaks, where she floated
to the far outside of the course and came up a half-length shy of Evening Jewel.
Had Harmonious run straight, she might well have won outright. As a long-term
prospect in the care of John Shirreffs, we love Harmonious. Right now, she just
might find the leading contenders a little too savvy for her, especially at this
distance. We’ll still include her in our exotics.

PERFECT SHIRL (Perfect Soul [Ire]) was a solid third in the Del Mar Oaks
after being caught in traffic in midstretch, and two starts back, she got up in
time in the Lake George S. (G2) at the Spa. She’s done little wrong so far for
Roger Attfield, but we’ll have to see a little more from her before endorsing at
this level. LA CLOCHE (Ghostzapper) was a workmanlike second to the runaway DADE
BABE (Cimarron Secret) in the Pucker Up S. (G3) last time out. Judging by that
performance, La Cloche doesn’t have the star quality of her juvenile half-sister
Winter Memories (El Prado [Ire]), and isn’t up to emulating her dam, Memories of
Silver (Silver Hawk), the 1996 QEII heroine. Reformed claimer Dade Babe did her
Presious Passion (Royal Anthem) impersonation in the Pucker Up, but will find it
difficult to duplicate against this caliber of opposition.