Godolphin's English classic winner Mawj (IRE) took charge soon after the start but had to call upon all her reserves to hold off the closing rush of Lindy and win the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Keeneland.
Starting for the first time since capturing the 1000 Guineas (G1) May 7 at Newmarket, Mawj was making her North American debut for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who was starting a horse at Keeneland for the first time since 2014.
Mawj, an Exceed And Excel half sister to champion and two-time Breeders' Cup winner Modern Games, had clear lead into the stretch while Elusive Princess (FR) and Mission of Joy loomed as threats. Under Oisin Murphy, Mawj looked en route to victory inside the final furlong, but she had to dig in nearing the finish line as Lindy, who unleashed a furious rally from fourth in early stretch, stormed up to her outside to just miss under Tyler Gaffalione.
Sent off the favorite, Mawj won by a half length and covered 1 1/8 miles 1:48.06 on turf rated as good. She returned $4.64 for the victory and became the 500th graded or group winner for Bin Suroor.
Mission of Joy was third, a half length behind Lindy.
Mawj took command immediately with Elusive Princess and Mission of Joy to her inside, but she assumed a clear lead going into the first turn. From there, she raced unopposed on the lead through fractions of :23.26 for the first quarter mile, :47.72 for a half mile, and 1:11.89 for six furlongs.
Entering the final turn, Elusive Princess applied mild pressure only to have Mawj kick clear again. In the stretch, Mission of Joy passed a tiring Elusive Princess to challenge Mawj only to have the Godolphin runner fend off that bid and have enough left in the tank to hold off a final challenge from Lindy.
With the win, Mawj stamped herself as a horse to watch for either the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) or Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita.
Produced by the New Approach (IRE) mare Modern Deals (GB), Mawj has a 6-1-1 record from nine career starts. The $294,000 winner's share of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup purse boosted her lifetime bankroll to $956,585.
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Quotes:
Saeed bin Suroor (winning trainer of Mawj [IRE]): “Thank God. This is great (for me) to win 500 (grade and) group (races) and a Group 1 with the filly Mawj (IRE), a classic winner. To come to America, to Keeneland, to win is a great result for everybody.”
On whether he believes she would fit better in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) against males or the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at 1¼ miles: “It looks to me she has plenty of speed as a miler and she made it today 9 furlongs. But we'll see. The mile might be the best for her, sure, but I want to decide closer to the race.”
Oisin Murphy (winning rider): “(Trainer) Saeed (bin Suroor) was delighted with her work at home and he asked me to sit on her last week just before she flew (to the U.S.) and she felt brilliant. She felt back to her best. We did quite quick sections (fractions) in the first half of the race, but she is a superstar filly. She found plenty. She's got a great heart and mind. I'm delighted to win for (owner) Godolphin and Saeed here; it's his 500th group winner, so for me to ride it for him means the world.”
Brendan Walsh (trainer of runner-up Lindy [FR]): “She ran super. You couldn't really ask her to run any better. We're disappointed that we didn't win because she was flying so fast at the end, but I am not disappointed in her and I am not disappointed in (jockey) Tyler (Gaffalione) or anyone on our team. I am proud of them all.
“She's really turned into a lovely filly, and I think she can be a helluva filly going forward. She's very versatile, and I think she can do anything between a mile and a mile and 3/16ths. We'll go back to the drawing board and see where we go from here.”
Tyler Gaffalione (rider of Lindy [FR]): “We just got a little further back then we would've liked to, last position going into the first turn, but my filly traveled great throughout. She gave me a huge run down the lane. Very proud of her, but a little upsetting that we didn't get the win. We feel like we had the best horse, but we'll get there.”
John Velazquez (rider of third-place finisher Mission of Joy): “I expected the trip that I had. I got a little excited going to the eighth pole (because I thought Mission of Joy would win). She just gave me everything she had to run a really good race.”
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