Gina Romantica Wins $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana

LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 15, 2022) – Peter Brant’s Gina Romantica drove between pacesetting Paris Peacock (IRE) and Bellabel (IRE) passing the three-sixteenths pole and went on to win the 39^th running of the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana for 3-year-old fillies by 1¾ lengths over favored stablemate McKulick (GB).

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, Gina Romantica completed the 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course in 1:48.20. The victory is the fifth in the race for Brown, who previously won with Dayatthespa (2012), Rushing Fall (2018), Cambier Parc (2019) and Shantisara (IRE) in 2021 with Prat riding the latter.

Brown has won 40 stakes at Keeneland.

The 1-2 result in today’s stakes was the second Grade 1 exacta finish of the Fall Meet for Brown, whose In Italian (GB) and Regal Glory formed the exacta in last Saturday’s First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare.

Paris Peacock led the field of six through fractions of :23.66, :48.22 and 1:12.83 with Bellabel in closest pursuit with Gina Romantica running next to the rail and McKulick in the three path running third and fourth.

The leaders were unchanged entering the stretch when Prat tipped Gina Romantica off the rail, shot between Paris Peacock and Bellabel, went to the front at the eighth pole and drew clear for the victory.

A Keeneland sales grad, Gina Romantica is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Special Me. In posting her first graded stakes victory, Gina Romantica improved her record to 7-4-1-0, picked up $367,350 with the win and increased her earnings to $553,540.

Gina Romantica returned $11.06, $3.90 and $2.56. McKulick, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $2.60 and $2.10 and finished a neck in front of Bellabel, who paid $2.58 to show under Umberto Rispoli.

It was another head back to California Angel in fourth with She’s Gone and Paris Peacock following in order.

Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET and features the $300,000 Franklin (G3) for fillies and mares going 5½ furlongs on the turf. Headed by 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) winner Twilight Gleaming (IRE), the Franklin will go as the seventh race with a 4:12 p.m. post time.