The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup is an American Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 race for three-year-old fillies

Filly

A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....

 held annually since 1984 at Keeneland Race Course

Keeneland

Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial...

 near Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...

. Run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf, the Grade I

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 race currently offers a purse of $500,000. It is an important prep race to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

.

The race was inaugurated on October 11, 1984, in honor of Britain's

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the Keeneland

Keeneland

Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial...

 races, during her private visit to Central Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

, and who presented a trophy on that date.

Since inception, the race has been contested at various distances:

• 1984 - 1 1/16 miles on dirt
• 1985-1989 - 1 1/16 miles on turf
• 1990-present - 1 1/8 miles on turf

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup was a Listed race in 1984 and 1985, a Grade III race in 1986 and 1987, and a Grade II race from 1988 through 1990 after which it became a Grade I event.

Records

Time record: (at current 1⅛ miles distance)

• 1:45.80 - Memories of Silver (1996)

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - Henryk de Kwiatkowski
  Henryk de Kwiatkowski
  Henryk Richard de Kwiatkowski was a Polish-born member of the Royal Air Force who became an aeronautical engineer and made a fortune in business in North America and who owned Calumet Farm, one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farms in the United States.Born in...
  
   (1985, 1986)
• 2 - Darby Dan Farm
  Darby Dan Farm
  Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath , it was expanded from an original farm into a 4,000...
  
   (1988, 1990)
• 2 - Stronach Stables
  Stronach Stables
  Stronach Stables is the North American racing arm of prominent Thoroughbred horse racing owner and breeder, Frank Stronach.The Stronach racing operation has owned and raced notable Thoroughbreds Glorious Song, Touch Gold and Giacomo in partnership with others...
  
   (1999, 2000)

Most wins by a jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

:

• 2 - Jerry D. Bailey (1987, 1990)
• 2 - Julie Krone
  Julie Krone
  Julie Krone , is a retired American jockey. In 1993, she became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she captured the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair...
  
   (1992, 1994)

Most wins by a trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

:

• 3 - John M. Veitch
  John M. Veitch
  John M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....
  
   (1987, 1988, 1990)

Winners of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2011	Together	Colm O'Donoghue Colm O'Donoghue Colm O'Donoughue is an Irish flat jockey.In 2002, while an apprentice rider for the Aidan O'Brien racing stable he was injured and hospitalized after falling during the Dawn Fresh Cream Handicap....	Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....	Magnier/Tabor/Smith	1:48.83
2010	Harmonious	Joel Rosario Joel Rosario Joel Rosario is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Raised on a farm where he regularly road horses, Joel Rosario attended jockey school for six months. He obtained his professional license at age fourteen and began riding at Hipódromo V Centenario in Santo Domingo where he earned his...	John Shirreffs John Shirreffs John A. Shirreffs is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Based in California, Vietnam War veteran John Shirreffs began training Thoroughbreds in 1978. He has won a number of stakes races with his most important coming in the 2005 Kentucky Derby when Giacomo scored a major upset...	Martin, Pam, & Emily Wygods	1:49.14
2009	Hot Cha Cha	James Graham	Phil Sims	Nelson McMakin	1:53.09
2008	Alwajeeha	John Velazquez	Kiaran McLaughlin Kiaran McLaughlin Kiaran P. McLaughlin is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He currently has a blog website, at http://kiaranmclaughlin.com where he updates what horses he has racing for that particular day...	Shadwell Stable	1:48.09
2007	Bit of Whimsy	Javier Castellano Javier Castellano Javier Castellano is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Castellano began his riding career in his native Venezuela in 1996 and in June 1997 moved to the United States where rode at race tracks in southern Florida until 2001 when he moved to race on the New York State racing circuit.In...	Barclay Tagg Barclay Tagg Barclay Tagg is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. A 1961 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Animal Husbandry, he is best known for conditioning Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Funny Cide. Horses in Tagg's stable have included Showing Up and...	J.B. Young/Gerald McManis	1:48.73
2006	Vacare	Carlos Marquez, Jr.	Chris M. Block	Lothenbach Stables, Inc.	1:48.42
2005	Sweet Talker	Rafael Bejarano	Helen Pitts Helen Pitts-Blasi Helen Pitts-Blasi is an American trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses.Born on a farm, Helen Pitts' parents were both involved in steeplechase racing. She rode ponies and horses from the time she was a young girl, competing in such things as steeplechase racing, pony racing, and fox hunting...	Eliah & Lisa Kahn	1:51.20
2004	Ticker Tape	Kent Desormeaux Kent Desormeaux Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...	James M. Cassidy	Jim Ford Inc. et al.	1:51.35
2003	Film Maker	Edgar Prado	H. Graham Motion H. Graham Motion H. Graham Motion is an American horse trainer, notable for his work with 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Better Talk Now. Motion started out training and winning with his own Thoroughbred horses at age 29, his first win was with Bounding Daisy in March 1993 at Laurel Park...	Courtlandt Farm	1:47.82
2002	Riskaverse	Mark Guidry Mark Guidry Mark Guidry is a retired American jockey.He began his riding career in Thoroughbred horse racing in his native Louisiana in 1974 where he remained until 1986 when he went to race in Illinois. He was the leading jockey at Hawthorne Race Course seven times, Sportsman's Park nine times, and two...	Patrick J. Kelly	Fox Ridge Farm	1:49.84
2001	Affluent Affluent (horse) Affluent is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Janis Whitham, and trained by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Ron McAnally, the daughter of 1978 U.S...	Ed Delahoussaye Eddie Delahoussaye Edward J. Delahoussaye is a retired American Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana.He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 wins...	Ron McAnally Ron McAnally Ronald L. McAnally is an American Hall of Fame trainer in Thoroughbred horse racing. Called "one of the most honored and respected of North American trainers" by Thoroughbred Times Co., Inc, as a child, he and his four siblings were placed in an orphanage following the death of their mother...	Janis R. Whitham	1:50.03
2000	Collect The Cash	Shane Sellers Shane Sellers Shane Jude Sellers is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. At age eleven, he began working around horses and in 1983 rode his first winner at Evangeline Downs....	Joseph F. Orseno Joe Orseno Joseph F. Orseno is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He began his career as a professional trainer in 1977 and in 1997 joined Frank Stronach's racing stables. In 2000, Orseno conditioned Red Bullet, an upset winner of the Preakness Stakes...	Stronach Stables Stronach Stables Stronach Stables is the North American racing arm of prominent Thoroughbred horse racing owner and breeder, Frank Stronach.The Stronach racing operation has owned and raced notable Thoroughbreds Glorious Song, Touch Gold and Giacomo in partnership with others...	1:47.80
1999	Perfect Sting Perfect Sting Perfect Sting is an American Thoroughbred Championracehorse and broodmare. Bred by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm and raced by his Stronach Stables, she was sired by Red Ransom and out of the mare Valid Victress....	Pat Day Pat Day Patrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...	Joseph F. Orseno Joe Orseno Joseph F. Orseno is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He began his career as a professional trainer in 1977 and in 1997 joined Frank Stronach's racing stables. In 2000, Orseno conditioned Red Bullet, an upset winner of the Preakness Stakes...	Stronach Stables Stronach Stables Stronach Stables is the North American racing arm of prominent Thoroughbred horse racing owner and breeder, Frank Stronach.The Stronach racing operation has owned and raced notable Thoroughbreds Glorious Song, Touch Gold and Giacomo in partnership with others...	1:50.60
1998	Tenski	Richard Migliore	Linda L. Rice	Richard L. Golden	1:48.60
1997	Ryafan Ryafan Ryafan is a thoroughbred racehorse. She won a number of prestigious races, including the Falmouth Stakes and the Nassau Stakes in England, the Prix Marcel Boussac in France, and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes and the Yellow Ribbon Stakes in the United States of America....	Alex Solis Alex Solis Alex O. Solis is a jockey based in the United States. He currently lives in Glendora, California and rides predominantly in Southern California...	John H. M. Gosden John Gosden John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...	Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms is a famous and award-winning horse breeding farm, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family the successful businessman presides over the massive conglomerate Mawared...	1:46.60
1996	Memories of Silver	Robbie Davis Robbie Davis Robbie Glen Davis is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.-Early life:Davis grew up in a single parent household forced onto welfare, something that would impact him for the rest of his life....	James J. Toner James J. Toner James J. "Jimmy" Toner is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.At age nineteen in April 1960 he got his first win as a trainer, making him the youngest to ever win a Thoroughbred horse race in State of New York. He won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Soaring Softly.-References:*...	Joan G. & John Phillips Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath , it was expanded from an original farm into a 4,000...	1:45.80
1995	Perfect Arc	John Velazquez	Angel Penna, Jr.	Brazil Stables	1:49.80
1994	Danish	Julie Krone Julie Krone Julie Krone , is a retired American jockey. In 1993, she became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she captured the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair...	Christophe Clement Christophe Clement Christophe Clement is a Thoroughbred horse trainer in the United States.- Racing background :Christophe Clement initially acquired his training skills from father Miguel, a leading trainer in France, Christophe later worked for the prominent French racing family of trainer Alec Head...	Harry McCalmont Harry McCalmont Colonel Harry Leslie Blundell McCalmont was a British army officer, race-horse owner, yachtsman and Conservative party politician....	1:48.80
1993	Tribulation	Jean-Luc Samyn Jean-Luc Samyn Jean-Luc Samyn is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.The son of a pastry chef, Jean-Luc Samyn was one of three children. At age thirteen, he went to work for the stable of trainer John Cunnington at Chantilly, a racecourse about north of Paris city center...	James J. Toner James J. Toner James J. "Jimmy" Toner is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.At age nineteen in April 1960 he got his first win as a trainer, making him the youngest to ever win a Thoroughbred horse race in State of New York. He won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Soaring Softly.-References:*...	Joan G. Phillips/A. Seelbinder	1:53.60
1992	Captive Miss	Julie Krone Julie Krone Julie Krone , is a retired American jockey. In 1993, she became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she captured the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair...	Philip M. Serpe	Zeke Minassian	1:48.60
1991	La Gueriere	Brian Peck	A. Peter Perkins	Wimborne Farm	1:49.80
1990	Plenty of Grace	Jerry D. Bailey	John M. Veitch John M. Veitch John M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....	Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath , it was expanded from an original farm into a 4,000...	1:51.40
1989	Coolawin	Jose Velez, Jr.	Carl A. Nafzger	James B. Tafel	1:43.20
1988	Love You by Heart	Randy Romero Randy Romero Randy Paul Romero is a Hall of Fame jockey in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing, Born into a family involved with horses, his father Lloyd J...	John M. Veitch John M. Veitch John M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....	Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm Darby Dan Farm is a produce, livestock, and thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm founded in 1935 near the Darby Creek in Galloway, Ohio by businessman John W. Galbreath. Named for the creek and for Galbreath's son, Daniel M. Galbreath , it was expanded from an original farm into a 4,000...	1:44.80
1987	Graceful Darby	Jerry D. Bailey	John M. Veitch John M. Veitch John M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....	James W. Phillips	1:47.20
1986	Lotka	Walter Guerra	Woody Stephens Woody Stephens Woody Stephens was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer.Born Woodford Cefis Stephens in Stanton, Kentucky, his younger brother William Ward Stephens also became a successful trainer. Woody Stephens first started in racing as a jockey at age 16 but within a few years switched...	Henryk de Kwiatkowski Henryk de Kwiatkowski Henryk Richard de Kwiatkowski was a Polish-born member of the Royal Air Force who became an aeronautical engineer and made a fortune in business in North America and who owned Calumet Farm, one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farms in the United States.Born in...	1:50.00
1985	Contredance	Eddie Maple Eddie Maple Edward Retz "Eddie" Maple is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. One of eight brothers and sisters, he was an older brother to jockey Sam Maple who won more than 2,500 races. He began riding horses at age 12 and won his first race as a professional at 17...	Woody Stephens Woody Stephens Woody Stephens was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer.Born Woodford Cefis Stephens in Stanton, Kentucky, his younger brother William Ward Stephens also became a successful trainer. Woody Stephens first started in racing as a jockey at age 16 but within a few years switched...	Henryk de Kwiatkowski Henryk de Kwiatkowski Henryk Richard de Kwiatkowski was a Polish-born member of the Royal Air Force who became an aeronautical engineer and made a fortune in business in North America and who owned Calumet Farm, one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing farms in the United States.Born in...	1:47.00
1984	Sintra	Keith Allen	Steven Penrod	Cherry Valley Farm	1:43.40