Dayatthespa goes gate to wire in 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland

Dayatthespa won the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Saturday (October 13, 2012). It was her first Grade I win and her firth straight victory.
According to BloodHorse.com, trainer Chad Brown is not sure Dayatthespa will compete in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. "I'll talk it over with all the partners," said Brown, according to BloodHorse.com. "Right now, that's not the way we were thinking going into the race. You never know. She may go a little bit further than this, but we'll just enjoy this and plan out the rest of her year from here."



Dayatthespa jockey Javier Castellano on his winning ride: “I handicapped the race, and I didn’t see a lot of speed in the race. Only one horse had speed. I thought the pace was going to be moderate today, and I took advantage. My filly, she’s really quick out of the gate. On the turn for home at the quarter pole, I asked her a little bit and she responded. When she took off, I just let her go – hand ride.”

Jockey John Velazquez, who was aboard favorite Stephanie’s Kitten -- last year's winner who finished sixth Saturday: “I had a perfect trip. It was a slow pace and I was right where I wanted to be. It is a big disappointment that she really didn’t try very much today. I was right behind the winner. I had all the shot that I wanted. She just didn’t have it today.”

Wayne Catalano, trainer of Stephanie’s Kitten: “It’s a surprising race for us. We’ve never had one run like that. I don’t know if she liked the turf course or not with the speed on there.”

The biggest news may have been Catalano's Breeders' Cup comment. Of Stephanie’s Kitten chances of running at Santa Anita event, he said: “Probably not. You’d hate to go to the Breeders’ Cup off a race like that.”

Check out this video of her workout two days (October 11, 2012) before her Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup victory at Keeneland.

Dayatthespa paid 8.60, 4.40, 3.60