Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

An all-star cast of eight will come to grips in Saturday's $400,000 Queen

Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland, with the title of best sophomore

turf filly on the line. A convincing case could be made for any of the three

principal contenders, but we're sticking with CHECK THE LABEL (Stormin Fever).

The Graham Motion trainee has improved considerably since the spring, when she

earned her first stakes victory right here in the Appalachian S. (G3). That was

just the beginning of her current four-race winning streak. Whether on firm or

yielding turf, encountering an honest pace or an early crawl, Check the Label

has still mounted the same lethal rally. Even more to her credit, she has

overcome traffic snarls in each of her past three -- the Sands Point S. (G2),

Virginia Oaks (G3) and Garden City S. (G1) -- to win convincingly, usually with

contemptible ease. All of those scores came at this nine-furlong trip. Although

this is the deepest field she's ever faced, the dark bay seems to have the

answers to whatever question Ramon Dominguez asks.

French invader ZAGORA (Fr) (Green Tune), representing the ever-dangerous

Jean-Claude Rouget, must be respected in her American debut. The chestnut's

company lines feature a raft of notable names, yet she's been holding her own

consistently. Zagora defeated future Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) second

Anna Salai (Dubawi) when winning at first asking as a juvenile, and she just

missed in her 2010 bow to Liliside (American Post), who then passed the post

first in the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1), only to be demoted for causing

interference. Zagora has since gone on to capture the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3) and

Prix de Psyche (Fr-G3), beating the well-regarded Rumoush (Rahy) in the latter,

and she wasn't disgraced when fifth to the top-class Sarafina (Refuse to Bend

[Ire]) in the French Oaks (Fr-G1). Last time out, Zagora was third in a

three-way finish in the Prix de la Nonette (Fr-G3) to Lily of the Valley

(Galileo [Ire]), who came back to upset Stacelita (Monsun) in the recent Prix de

l'Opera (Fr-G1). On the basis of that form, she's the horse to beat Saturday, if

she can handle the tighter circuit of Keeneland's turf course, while shortening

back up to 1 1/8 miles off three straight going longer. Julien Leparoux picks up

the mount.

EVENING JEWEL (Northern Afleet) would be riding a six-race winning streak,

but for a couple of last-jump heartbreakers inflicted upon her by Blind Luck

(Pollard's Vision). Since getting away from her nemesis, the ultra-consistent

filly has reeled off three in a row on turf, sweeping the Honeymoon H. (G2), San

Clemente H. (G2) and Del Mar Oaks (G1). Evening Jewel was especially impressive

in the latter, showing a push-button turn of foot to seize an opportunity in

traffic for Victor Espinoza. We could be underestimating the Jim Cassidy pupil,

who has finished first or second in 11 starts after her unplaced debut effort.

SNOW TOP MOUNTAIN (Najran) has yet to finish worse than second in her career,

but the rub is that she's only won one of six turf tries-- an entry-level

allowance as a juvenile. After closing admirably against the speed bias in a

pair of listed events at Saratoga, the Tom Proctor trainee finished strongly to

come within a length of Check the Label in the Garden City. Snow Top Mountain

needs to step up her game to topple this group, but of the outsiders, she has

the most appeal at 12-1 on the morning line.

HARMONIOUS (Dynaformer) garnered the American Oaks (G1) in only her fourth

career outing, so the well-bred dark bay has plenty of untapped potential. Her

relative inexperience cost her, though, in the Del Mar Oaks, where she floated

to the far outside of the course and came up a half-length shy of Evening Jewel.

Had Harmonious run straight, she might well have won outright. As a long-term

prospect in the care of John Shirreffs, we love Harmonious. Right now, she just

might find the leading contenders a little too savvy for her, especially at this

distance. We'll still include her in our exotics.

PERFECT SHIRL (Perfect Soul [Ire]) was a solid third in the Del Mar Oaks

after being caught in traffic in midstretch, and two starts back, she got up in

time in the Lake George S. (G2) at the Spa. She's done little wrong so far for

Roger Attfield, but we'll have to see a little more from her before endorsing at

this level. LA CLOCHE (Ghostzapper) was a workmanlike second to the runaway DADE

BABE (Cimarron Secret) in the Pucker Up S. (G3) last time out. Judging by that

performance, La Cloche doesn't have the star quality of her juvenile half-sister

Winter Memories (El Prado [Ire]), and isn't up to emulating her dam, Memories of

Silver (Silver Hawk), the 1996 QEII heroine. Reformed claimer Dade Babe did her

Presious Passion (Royal Anthem) impersonation in the Pucker Up, but will find it

difficult to duplicate against this caliber of opposition.