Race 9 at Keeneland | Saturday, October 10 | Post Time: 5:16 PM Eastern

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes – Grade 1 | Purse: $750,000 | One Mile and One-Eighth on Turf | Three Years Old

Top Win Contender(s): Braida (6), Luster (2), Tam Tam (3)

Braida (6) is one of many splendid horses that have traveled from Europe for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup throughout history. Since 2019, at least six horses have made it their first or second U.S. start and have won or placed in the QE II. The only winner was Mawj in 2023 the second place finishers are Lindy in 2023 Laurelin in 2025, Soprano (2024), Shantisara (2021), and Castle Lady (2019). Braida is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard. Graffard also trained Gezora, who won her first U.S. start last year in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with jockey Mickael Barzalona. The same jockey and trainer team won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Turf with Talismanic. Barzalona has been on Braida for her last two races.

Braida has three wins in four turf races at trackssimilar to Keeneland, and she just beat a field of 13 horses, rallying from fourth to win going away. Braida is the type of horse that can win this race and run three weeks later in the Filly & Mare Turf. Gezora ran in France with less than one month between races and won. These two, jockey and trainer, aren’t coming to see the fall leaves in Kentucky. If she wins the QE II, she will likely race three weeks later in the Breeders’ Cup.

Luster (2) won at Keeneland on turf last April in her second start. She won her first start and three other races on all-weather tracks. She has won three consecutive races, including the Woodbine Oaks at this distance. In her most recent start, she trounced a field of 12 horses in the King’s Plate Stakes against males. She won that race by seven lengths and the Oaks by five. John Velazquez has ridden her in all three U.S. wins and rides today. If Braida isn’t at her best, Luster is the horse to beat, and she may win even if Braida is ready.

Tam Tam (3) won two straight races, the Tepin Stakes and the Del Mar Oaks, at this distance. She has finished third only once in six turf races and has won three stakes races. Jockey Junior Alvarado has been aboard for her last five races. She has beaten Looking At Diamond and Kensington Lane in other races. The Del Mar Oaks winner, Rushing Fall, won this race in 2018. Tam Tam should run an “A” race again and has a shot at winning her third straight stakes.

Win bets:

Braida (5) at odds of 5 to 2 or higher.

Luster, Tam Tam at odds of 3 to 1 or higher.

Exactas: Box Braida (6), Luster (2), Tam Tam (3)