As one of Europe’s premier Mile races, the Queen Elizabeth II (G1)
Stakes at Ascot has understandably had a significant bearing on the
Breeders’ Cup. Its running on the final weekend of September enables it
to be both target and realistic prep for end-of-year international
bounty hunters.
The last two winners of the race — Raven’s Pass and Rip van Winkle
— were both recipients of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re
In” ticket for the TVG Mile Division yet both, somewhat ironically,
eschewed the obvious in favor of a tilt at the Classic, with
dramatically varying results.
This year’s race looks to be a somewhat more conventional
springboard, and not just because the Classic returning to a regular
main track makes that race less obviously appealing for a pacy European
turf miler.
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