BC Internationals: Filly & Mare Turf contender Queen's Trust

Only the great Ouija Board has won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) twice, in non-consecutive years, and defending champion Queen’s Trust would have had a serious chance to become the first repeat winner – but for the shortened 1 1/8-mile distance at Del Mar.

The Sir Michael Stoute trainee needed every yard of 1 1/4 miles last year at Santa Anita to nip Lady Eli:

And as explored in her international profile for the 2016 Breeders’ Cup, Queen’s Trust hinted that this was her ideal trip when chasing Minding home in the 10-furlong Nassau (G1). She’s had useful results going longer too, so if officialdom had decided to hold the 2017 Filly & Mare Turf over 1 3/8 miles, that would have suited her fine.

Indeed, lengthening by a furlong would have made for historical consistency. The inaugural running at Gulfstream Park in 1999, and the editions staged at Churchill Downs, Lone Star, and Monmouth, were all 1 3/8 miles – the distance of both of Ouija Board’s triumphs. The 2015 running at Keeneland was 1 3/16 miles, but truncating the Filly & Mare Turf further to nine furlongs changes the character of the race, and possibly the winner.

Having the conditions of her career-defining victory changed on her is basically her 2017 in microcosm. Queen’s Trust has had a frustrating time with a weather-riddled 2017 campaign.

The Cheveley Park homebred caught a rain-affected track in her seasonal reappearance in the Middleton (G2) at York. Launching a bold bid before laboring, she wound up fourth to eventual E.P. Taylor (G1) winner Blond Me and The Black Princess, who garnered the Lancashire Oaks (G2) in her next start.

Blond Me causes a bit of an upset for in-form Andrew Balding in the Betfred Middleton Stakes pic.twitter.com/4PzlRxeVFs

— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) May 18, 2017

For the one and only time all season, Queen’s Trust got her firm turf at Royal Ascot. That coincided with her most challenging assignment versus males in the Prince of Wales’s (G1), but she ran a mighty race in defeat after a troubled start that left her farther back. The race shape suited horses closer to the pace, and she was the only deep closer to make an impact. Rallying strongly, she snatched fourth, beaten all of two lengths by Highland Reel. Decorated Knight and Ulysses were the placegetters, so it took three Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) horses to beat her.