Eleven Fillies Invited to Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana

Eleven 3-year-old fillies have been extended invitations for the 38^th running of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana to be run Saturday, Oct. 16 at 1 1/8 miles on the Keeneland turf course.

Trainer Chad Brown, who is tied with Jimmy Toner and John Veitch for the most victories in the race with three, conditions two invitees: Klaravich Stables’ Technical Analysis (IRE) and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta’s Shantisara (IRE).

Technical Analysis has victories in the Lake Placid (G2) and Lake George (G3) at Saratoga on her resume, while Shantisara has won two of three starts since coming to the U.S. from Europe. She won the Pucker Up (G3) at Arlington and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park.

Three European-based runners are among the invitees. They include Empress Josephine (IRE), who is entered in Saturday’s First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare. Trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Empress Josephine will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Together (IRE), who in 2011 ran second in the First Lady and came back a week later to win the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Other European runners are James Wigan’s Cloudy Dawn (IRE), a Group 3 winner in France trained by William Haggas, and Katsumi Yoshida’s Nicest (IRE), who was third in the Irish Oaks (G1) in her most recent start for trainer Donnacha O’Brien.

Other invitees are Three Diamond Farm’s Army Wife, trained by Mike Maker; Michael De Broglio’s Burning Ambition, trained by Brad Cox; Harris Farms’ Closing Remarks, trained by Carla Gaines; G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Flippant, trained by Vicki Oliver; Charles Fipke’s undefeated Lady Speightspeare, trained by Roger Attfield, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and TOLO Thoroughbreds’ Queen Goddess, trained by Michael McCarthy.