Winter Memories Makes Last Start of 2011 in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland

The last of six Grade 1 races at the Keeneland meeting will be held on Saturday, with Winter Memories the headliner in the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup (G1).

The James Toner trainee is the 9/5 morning line favorite in a field of eight three-year-old fillies who will go nine furlongs on the turf course.

The race is one of two stakes on the Saturday afternoon card. The preceding race is the $125,000 Keeneland 75th Anniversary Stakes, which drew a field of nine two-year-olds and may produce a few runners for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, the most recent addition to the Breeders’ Cup program.

Winter Memories is coming off an impressive win in the Garden City (G1) where she overcame trouble to win by a neck, her sixth win in eight career starts.

She catches a tough field that includes First Lady (G1) runner up Together, who is coming back off just a week break after taking on older fillies and mares last Saturday.

In addition, the top three finishers of the Del Mar Oaks (G2), Summer Soiree, Star Billing, and Nereid will take on the favorite.

Summer Soiree, who won the Del Mar Oaks, is shipping in from her home base at Fair Hill for trainer Graham Motion who is off to a good start at the Keeneland meeting. Star Billing and Nereid both ship in from Southern California for trainer John Shirreffs.

Both of Keeneland’s stakes on Saturday will be televised live on NBC as part of their “Autumn at Keeneland” series.

The one hour telecast gets underway at 5:00 ET.

Michael Dempsey provides his full card report for Belmont Park and Keeneland each racing day. Mike’s full card report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Get a month of action from the Belmont Park meeting or the entire Keeneland meeting for a special price of $79.95!

Let’s head out to the Keeneland for Saturday’s featured race of the day:

Keeneland Race 9 The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Post time 5: 45 ET

• Winter Memories 9/5
• Together 5/1
• Summer Soiree 2/1
• Star Billing 6/1

Winter Memories is coming off a win in the Garden City (G1) last out in a race where I tried to beat her with the front running More Than Real, who headed for home with the lead. Winter Memories looked beaten as she got caught behind a wall of runners, finally getting out to angle toward the outside and inside the final furlong took off like a shot to get past our top pick and win by a neck in another brilliant effort. This gal just finds a way to win, having won six of her eight career starts. She has a win over the turf here, taking the Appalachian (G3) last April and this is her Breeders’ Cup, her last start of 2011.

Together wheels back off just a week break having run a fast closing second against older in the First Lady (G1) here last Saturday. The filly is back facing straight three year olds, but is winless in seven starts this year, four runner up finishes. The extra furlong here should suit and the 5/1 morning line looks tempting, but the quick turnaround is a bit of a concern despite this filly being sent out by one of the world’s best trainers in Aidan O’Brien.

Summer Soiree has won four of her last five starts, the lone loss coming in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May where she set the early fractions and packed it in. She is perfect in two starts on turf in her career, last out taking the Del mar Oaks over a couple of fillies she faces again here. She brings speed to the mix and will make things difficult for More Than Real. She is in god hands with Graham Motion and Dominguez picks up the call.

Wagering:
WIN: Winter Memories at 8/5 or better.
EX: 2,3 / 1,2,3,8
TRI: 2,3 / 1,2,3,8 / 1,2,3,5,8