Queen’s Trust wins Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Queen’s Trust, with Frankie Dettori aboard, delivered a stirring stretch run to snatch victory at the wire in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.
Trained by Michael Stoute, Queen’s Trust gave Europe a first victory in this year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup, the $28 million extravaganza that concludes later Saturday in the $6 million Classic.
“The pace was a bit slow for her and the straights are a bit short, but when I got to Lady Eli’s back wheels, I was confident I would catch her,” Dettori said. “She dug very deep today and it’s great for the team.”
The victory was the seventh for Stoute in the Breeders’ Cup and his third in the 1 1/4-mile Filly & Mare Turf.
He won the same race with Islington in 2003 and Dank in 2013.
For Queen’s Trust, it was a second career victory.
“She has been unlucky in running a few times this year, but it all came right today,” said Cheveley Park Racing Manager Chris Richardson. “Frankie gave her a superb ride.”
Queen’s Trust denied favorite Lady Eli a fairytale finish. The Chad Brown-trained filly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf two years ago, was idle for more than a year after suffering tendinitis and a life-threatening bout of laminitis.
“I was thrilled the way she ran today,” Brown said. “Frankie rode a fabulous race and it was just two great horses down to the finish line. Naturally, I’m disappointed, but still very proud of her.”
Avenge, trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Flavien Prat was third, holding off Aidan O’Brien’s Irish and Yorkshire Oaks winner Seventh Heaven by three-quarters of a length.
Following the race, Dettori gave a shout-out to German jockey Frederik Tylicki, who has been left paralyzed below the waist after a four-horse pile-up at Kempton Park southwest of London on Monday.
“We are thinking of you, Freddy,” Dettori said.