Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade 1)

TAM Tam took command early in last weekend’s Keeneland feature race and stayed in front to land her second Grade 1 victory in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana at Keeneland.

Junior Alvarado guided the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro to a two-and-a-half-length win over Faithful Departed with Francis Graffard’s French invader Braida third in the field of 10 three-year-old fillies.

Rigney Racing’s Tam Tam was adding to her Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks win on her last start and also gave trainer Phil Bauer just his third Grade 1 victory.

Tam Tam won the Del Mar Oaks after tracking the early speed and overtaking the leader in the stretch.

She took the lead shortly after the start here and led favourite and Canadian classic winner Luster and Faithful Departed past the stands.

Alvarado and Tam Tam, the third choice in betting, were up front on the back stretch. Luster started to retreat approaching the home straight, while Tam Tam raced clear. Faithful Departed stayed on and Braida emerged from the pack with a late run.

Faithful Departed finished second for the third time in a row in a graded turf stakes race – along with the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks, both at Saratoga.

Winning trainer Phil Bauer said: “Del Mar was extremely special, but Keeneland is the top. Growing up, coming here - I mean, this is the echelon.

“We were excited how she was travelling, and when she turned for home, I was glad he [Alvarado] didn’t wait.

“Good horses take you places, and she has. We’re just very blessed to have her. Scary to say, but I really think she’s just going to keep getting better and better. She’s all class. We kind of joked all week that we were walking around the barn like roosters with our chests puffed out. You watch her train, she puts a smile on your face.”

Kensington Lane, a Grade 1 winner for Donnacha O’Brien earlier in the year could only finish ninth of the 10.

Tam Tam won for the fifth time in 10 starts and picked up $435,938 to send her earnings over $1 million.