Second-choice Dayatthespa went straight to the lead and never looked back in the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. I) this afternoon at Keeneland, turning back a bid from Centre Court and drawing clear late to win the nine-furlong turf race by 2 1/2 widening lengths.
Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, Dayatthespa broke well from post eight and soon found herself in front while setting slow fractions of :24.52 and :49.11. Two lengths behind her was Better Lucky, with Stephanie's Kitten and Centre Court another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. Treasured Up and Samitar were next, while Somali Lemonade and Tannery trailed the field.
Dayatthespa continued to lead through three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.96, but turning for home, Centre Court put in a strong challenge and appeared capable of going on and winning the race. But after another sixteenth of a mile, it became clear that Dayatthespa would not be caught, and the filly proved that was the case by re-extending her lead through the final hundred yards or so, hitting the wire comfortably in front while stopping the clock in 1:48.99 seconds.
Centre Court held on well to finish second, while Better Lucky edged out Samitar for third. Somali Lemonade, Stephanie's Kitten, Treasured Up, and Tannery completed the order of finish.
The winner is trained by Chad Brown and owned by Jerry Frankel, Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon, and Bradley Thoroughbreds. A daughter of City Zip out of the Doc's Leader mare M'Lady Doc, Dayatthespa is undefeated in five starts this year, with an overall record of 6-1-0 from 8 starts.
-Keelerman
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