Shantisara (IRE) Leads Exacta for Trainer Chad Brown in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta’s Shantisara (IRE) rocketed past stablemate Technical Analysis (IRE) at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off for a record-setting 5-length victory in the 38^th running of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana for 3-year-old fillies Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, Shantisara covered the 1 1/8 miles on a turf course rated as yielding in 1:48.86. The win gave Brown his record fourth victory in the race following Dayatthespa (2012), Rushing Fall (2018) and Cambier Parc (2019) to break a tie he held with Jimmy Toner and John Veitch.

Today is the second Saturday in a row that Brown has run 1-2 in a Grade 1 race at Keeneland. In the First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare, Blowout (GB) and Regal Glory provided owner Peter Brant and Brown with the exacta.

Technical Analysis led the field of nine through fractions of :23.91, :48.63 and 1:12.78 while under mild pressure from favored Empress Josephine (IRE) with Shantisara and Burning Ambition tracking as a joint third.

As the field turned for home, Prat went right on the attack and wasted little time wresting control and erasing any doubt of the outcome. Shantisara’s margin of victory is the largest in the history of the race, eclipsing the 4½-length victory by Hot Cha Cha in 2009.

Shantisara is a daughter of Coulsty (IRE) out of the Dalakhani (IRE) mare Kharana (IRE). Saturday’s $300,000 winner’s share increased her earnings to $788,108 with a record of 9-5-2-0.

Since joining Brown’s barn in the spring from Europe, Shantisara has won three of four starts with stakes victories coming in the Pucker Up (G3) at Arlington Park and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park.

Shantisara returned $7, $3.80 and $3. Technical Analysis, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $4.20 and $3.80 and finished 1¾ lengths in front of Burning Ambition, who paid $6.20 to show under Florent Geroux.

It was another 2¼ lengths back to Nicest (IRE) with Queen Goddess, Closing Remarks, Cloudy Dawn (IRE), Flippant and Empress Josephine following in order. Lady Speightspeare was scratched.

Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET.