Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

Oct 09, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

An outstanding field of 10 three-year-old fillies will travel nine furlongs on the Keeneland turf in Saturday’s prestigious $750,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. (G1). The deep field is led by morning-line choice She Feels Pretty from the barn of Cherie DeVaux. By Karakontie, the sophomore miss has never run a bad race and will have blinkers on for the initial time while making her local debut. She is the Expert Pick of the Week.

She Feels Pretty, who dominated the 2023 Natalma S. (G1) at Woodbine in her second lifetime run last campaign, concluded her two-year-old season with a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. The Kentucky-bred chestnut has run well in each of her outings in 2024, which includes a daylight win in the Hilltop S. as well as placings in both the Belmont Oaks (G1) and Lake Placid S. (G2).

She Feels Pretty exudes class in Hilltop; Mystic Lake wires Miss Preakness.

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Purchased for $240,000 as a yearling, the Lael Stables color-bearer has been training at this venue since early September and comes in fresh with some swift morning drills in advance of this assignment. She possesses the tactical speed to stay in range early as well as a strong closing kick, and the 1 1/8 miles seems like an ideal voyage for the filly, too. Regular pilot John Velazquez will be in to guide the top pick.

Conditioner Chad Brown has a pair entered in the affair, including recent Lake Placid (G2) upsetter Grayosh. The gray daughter of Yoshida has improved her Brisnet Speed number in each career performance to date and was very game in defeating She Feels Pretty at Saratoga in her latest venture. Flavien Prat retains the ride and will have the three-year-old rallying from off the pace on Saturday.

Of the pair of Euro invaders for the contest, Candala has more intrigue to me despite drawing widest of all in the tilt. The Frankel sophomore has flashed considerable ability since her unveiling as a juvenile, and her third-place run behind subsequent Group 1 heroine Friendly Soul at Deauville last time out looks very good right now. The Aga Khan homebred might benefit from the cutback in distance as well, with Florent Geroux taking the reins.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #3 She Feels Pretty on top of #9 Grayosh and #10 Candala in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.