By Christina Bossinakis
Quite fittingly, a pair of group-winning Europeans have made the trip over the Atlantic for Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup Stakes, headed by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Trained by George Boughey, the 3-year-old filly was last seen finishing 1 1/2-lengths in third behind winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) and Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the one-mile G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Sept. 14. That form alone would justify another look at this Irish-bred filly given that Porta Fortuna is a multiple Group 1 winner who is poised to take on the boys in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, while the runner up has also won at the highest level and most recently finished a close-up fourth in contentious renewal of the G1 Prix de 'Opera at Longchamp. In her previous start, Soprano annexed the G3 Prix de Lieurey at Deauville in August.
Soprano arrived in the U.S. on Friday. She spent two days in quarantine at Churchill Downs before arriving at Keeneland Sunday.
“This is the main target,” said Charles Eddery, who was aboard Soprano Wednesday morning. “We felt like she would take to American racing, and she likes warmer weather.”
On Wednesday, Eddery took Soprano through the Paddock before jogging around to the starting gate.
“One thing that is different here is the bell at the gate,” Eddery said. “I wanted to get her used to that, and she did very well.”
The sole knock on her is this will be the first time she is being asked to negotiate farther that a mile.
According to Eddery, a good performance may prompt the connections to take a look at the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Also shipping in for the race, HH The Aga Khan's Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) will attempt to get back in the winner's circle since last winning the G3 Prix de la Grotte at Longchamp in April. Since then, the homebred ran eighth in the G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly before finishing runner-up behind Survie in the 12-furlong G2 Prix de Malleret in Paris in July. In her latest start, she was third, beaten only 2 1/2 lengths, by Friendly Soul (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G2 Prix Alec Head at Deauville Aug. 18. Her vanquisher that day went on to take the Prix de L'Opera last weekend. Locally-based Florent Geroux gets the call.
Representing team America, Flanagan Racing's Grayosh (Yoshida {Jpn}) enters the fray off a narrow victory in the Aug. 17 GII Lake Placid Stakes. The grey is one of two entrants trained by Chad Brown, the other being Oversubscribed (GB) (Too Darn Hot), winner of the Wild Applause Stakes at the Big A in June before coming home second to the re-opposing Pounce (Lookin At Lucky) in the one-mile GIII Lake George Stakes July 20.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux sends out She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), runner up in the Lake Placid following a bang-up third in the 1 3/16-mile GI Belmont Oaks Invitational in July. Working like a fiend since her last start, the Lael Stables runner runs with blinkers for the first time.
“We just feel like she has been waiting on horses,” DeVaux's assistant David Carroll said. “We like what we have seen from her in the morning [with blinkers] and, hopefully, it will translate to the afternoon.”
Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach), Canada's leading sophomore filly, attempts tp build off of her Aug. 23 victory in the first jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, the 10-furlong King's Plate Stakes. Runner up in the nine-panel Woodbine Oaks over the main track July 20, the Win Star Farm and Siena Farm representative also won her sole prior start on the turf, recorded in a 7 1/2-furlong Woodbine optional claimer July 6.
Saturday's graded action also features Aqueduct's GII Sands Point Stakes, headed by last out dead-heat winner of the nine-furlong Virginia Oaks Style Points (Oscar Performance). North of the border, Woodbine presents the GIII Ontario Fashion Stakes, a six-furlong main-track test for fillies and mares.
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