Excelebration brilliant in Queen Elizabeth II triumph

Heavily favored Excelebration overcame some traffic issues to win the $1,550,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Eng-I) in dominating fashion.

With Joseph O'Brien aboard, Excelebration was content to settle back in fourth early on as Elusive Kate led the way over Side Glance and Cityscape. Most Improved, Carlton House, Indomito, and Sovereign Debt were at the rear of the field.

Inside the final four hundred meters, Cityscape moved up to challenge Elusive Kate for the lead as Side Glance gave way in between horses. This left an opening through which Excelebration quickly darted, and from there, the race was over. With brilliant turn-of-foot, Excelebration drew off powerfully to win by three lengths while stopping the clock for a mile on soft turf in 1:42.33 seconds.

Cityscape finished second, 3 1/4 lengths clear of Elusive Kate. Carlton House, Sovereign Debt, Side Glance, Indomito, and Most Improved completed the order of finish.

The winner is trained by Aidan O'Brien and owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor. A four-year-old son of Exceed and Excel out of the Indian Ridge mare Sun Shower, Excelebration's next start may come in the $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park on November 3rd.

-Keelerman

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Entries and Post Positions

Multiple group I-winner Excelebration will look to add another prestigious victory to his already impressive credentials when he heads to post as the probable favorite in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Eng-I), which will be run on Saturday at Ascot.

The son of Exceed and Excel finished second in this race one year ago to superstar Frankel, and has lost numerous other races to that rival over the past couple of season. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Excelebration enters this race off of a sharp victory in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Buffard-Jacques Le Marios (Fr-I). He is expected to contest the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) on November 3rd at Santa Anita Park, assuming that his run in the Queen Elizabeth II goes well.

Cityscape and Elusive Kate, the respective second- and third-place finishers Excelebration in the Le Marios, are back to test him again. Both have run once since then, with Cityscape finishing third in the Woodbine Mile (Can-I) and Elusive Kate coming home second in the Sun Chariot Stakes (Eng-I) behind subsequent E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-I) winner Siyouma.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Sponsored by QIPCO (Eng-I)
One mile on the Ascot turf course

PP	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	Most Improved	Richard Hughes	Brian Meehan
2	Indomito	Tom Queally	A. Wohler
3	Side Glance	Jimmy Fortune	Andrew Balding
4	Cityscape	James Doyle	Roger Charlton
5	Elusive Kate	William Buick	John Gosden
6	Excelebration	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien
7	Carlton House	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute
8	Sovereign Debt	Jamie Spencer	Michael Bell

-Keelerman