Brown Hits Keeneland Milestone with Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana Victory

Chad Brown became the fourth trainer to record 40 stakes victories at Keeneland when Peter Brant’s Gina Romantica won Saturday’s $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana by 1¾ lengths over stablemate McKulick (GB).

“They both are good this morning,” said Brown, who added that both fillies were likely done for 2022 and would head to Florida for a break.

Brown’s victory total trails only Racing Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher (64), D. Wayne Lukas (51) and Bill Mott (47). Three horses have accounted for 11 of those victories with the first three coming in 2009 and 2010 from Silver Timber, who won consecutive runnings of the Woodford (G3) sandwiched around a victory in the 2010 Shakertown (G3).

Rushing Fall won five stakes here for Brown and Dayatthespa captured three.

Saturday’s result gave Brown his seventh 1-2 finish in a Grade 1 race here with three coming in the Jenny Wiley and two each in the First Lady and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. In the 2018 Jenny Wiley, Brown had the 1-2-3 finishers with Sistercharlie (IRE), Fourstar Crook and Off Limits (IRE).