3 minute read

Stunning Rose wins this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto.

Third favorite Stunning Rose claimed her first win since 2022 and second G1 victory in this year's Queen Elizabeth II Cup in an impressive 2:11.1, updating the 23-year-old race record set by To the Victory. As a three-year-old, the filly captured the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m), the Flower Cup (G3, 1,800m) and the Shion Stakes (G3, 2,000m) titles as well as putting in a runner-up effort in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m). After being sidelined with peritendinitis in her left foreleg after finishing 12th in last year's Victoria Mile (G1, 1,600m), she made her comeback in the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) in March this season in which she was eighth. The King Kamehameha mare then went on to run in the Victoria Mile in May and the Queen Stakes (G3, 1,800m) in July, finishing ninth and sixth, respectively. The five-year-old mare presented her trainer Tomokazu Takano with his eighth JRA-G1 title, his latest was with Jantar Mantar in this year's NHK Mile Cup, and jockey Cristian Demuro, who is riding under a short-term license and had won the title with Geraldina in 2022, his fifth.

The field broke in front of the stands with Conch Shell taking the early lead while Harper and Shinryokuka followed in close pursuit. A bit keen in the backstretch, Stunning Rose chased the frontrunners in fourth before making headway and swiftly took over the lead while turning the last corner. First to enter the straight, the King Kamehameha mare romped to the wire unthreatened for an impressive two-length victory.

"I'm very happy to have won a G1 race which I wanted to achieve here in Japan, especially after finishing second a few times. Today after the start, I chose to go behind the leader and the mare just showed a special turn of foot," Christian Demuro said in a post-race interview.

Sent off lightly favored as twelfth choice, Ravel, winner of the G3 Artemis Stakes (1,600m) as a two-year-old, settled outside the favorite around eighth, circled wide into the stretch and although no match for the eventual winner, dug in well to overhaul Wholeness 100 meters out to score a two-length second.

Second pick of the 17-horse field, Wholeness saved ground in fifth, angled out for her stretch run and while denied the runner-up seat by the fast-closing Ravel, shook off her rivals in a fierce rally in the final strides to secure third place by a neck.

Heavy favorite and the only three-year-old runner, Regaleira broke well and settled in mid-pack but found herself in tight quarters in early stretch. The Hopeful Stakes winner bumped rivals trying to squeeze through aggressively and launched her bid late, finishing fifth.

Other Horses:

4th: (8) Shinryokuka—tracked leaders in 3rd on rails, showed tenacity, weakened in last 100m
6th: (2) Lilac—saved ground in 11th, angled out, quickened to time tied fastest over last three
              furlongs
7th: (13) Saliera—settled near rear in 14th, circled wide, showed tied fastest late kick but
                belatedly
8th: (15) Gold Eclipse—raced wide around 12th, improved position at stretch
9th: (17) Costa Bonita—ran wide around 6th behind winner, showed effort until 100m out
10th: (12) Scintillation—hugged rails around 8th, bumped at early stretch, lacked needed kick
11th: (9) Kiminonawa Maria—sat around 6th, showed little at stretch
12th: (10) Erika Vita—traveled around 12th, unable to reach contention
13th: (3) Rouge Lignage—trailed in rear, passed tired rivals
14th: (5) Moryana—raced near rear, showed brief effort at stretch, outrun in last 100m
15th: (6) Peace of the Life—trailed in rear, no factor throughout trip
16th: (4) Conch Shell—set pace, faded after 200m pole
17th: (14) Harper—chased leader in 2nd, bumped at early stretch, lost momentum