Elate

After winning her debut by 12 1/2 lengths in November 2016 at Aqueduct, Elate jumped up to stakes competition and held her own. She ran second in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs before rallying to finish third after a troubled trip in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes.

Elate was pulled up and did not finish the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes, but returned four weels later to run second in an allowance race at Churchill Downs.

Returning to stakes compatition for the Light Hearted Stakes at Delaware Park, Elate drew clear to win by 5 1/2. She subsequently finished second to Abel Tasman in a game runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. Four weeks later, Elate earned a brakthrough victory when she overhauled It Tiz Well in early stretch in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes and surged clear to a dominant victory. She followed with a victory over older females in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes, in which she was boxed in behind a wall of horses in early stretch before slipping through a narrow opening and powering well clear to a powerhouse win by 8 1/4 lengths. She closed out the year with a fourth-place finish, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths, in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

After an extended break, Elate returned from a layoff of more than eight months in the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap. She rallied into contention with a middle move on the backstretch and simply overwhelmed the opposition entering the stretch, opening up a commanding lead and coasting to victory.

A rematch with Abel Tasman loomed in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes on Aug. 25 and it turned out to be a fantastic showdown. Abel Tasman seized command on the backsretch and led into the stretch, where Elate made her presence felt with a powerful rally on Abel Tasman's outside flank. The two dueled stride for stride through the Saratoga stretch, bumping near the finish line, but Abel Tasman held on to prevail in a thrilling finish.

Elate returned from a layoff of more than 7 1/2 months in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes on March 16, 2019 at Oaklawn Park. She passed Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Shamrock Rose in deep stretch but could not match strides with multiple Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou in a runner-up finish. Elate again faced off against Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 14 at Oaklawn and finshed third, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner and runner-up Escape Clause.

Elate was shipped to Churchill Downs after her Oaklawn races and targeted the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes on June 15, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” qualifying race for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Sent off as the odds-on favorite, Elate saved ground through the far turn under Jose Ortiz, angled three-wide in early stretch and wore down dueling graded stakes winners Blue Prize and She’s a Julie to score her first win of 2019. Elate next shipped to Delaware Park to attempt to score a repeat victory in the Delaware Handicap. Reserved off the pace early, Elate made a visually impressive bid on the far turn and pulled away in the stretch to a dominant runaway victory.

Elate again faced familiar rival Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti and the rematch did not disappoint. Elate seized command in early stretch but Midnight Bisou steadily cut into her lead under Mike Smith, pulled alongside Elate in deep stretch, and gamely pushed a nose in front in the closing strides to prevail in a thriller. 

Juddmonte's star racemare made her final prep for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on Oct. 6 at Keeneland. Facing familiar foes Blue Prize and She’s a Julie plus Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly Dunbar Road, Elate stalked the pace under Jose Ortiz and took a short lead at the top of the stretch. She battled Dunbar Road to her inside and then a late-rushing Blue Prize to her outside, and settled for a runner-up finish by a half-length to Blue Prize.

Elate next faced males in the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park, and finished fourth behind Vino Rosso, McKinzie, and Higher Power.

By Medaglia d'Oro, Elate is the first starter produced by stakes winner Cheery, by Distorted Humor. Elate's grandam (maternal grandmother) is Grade 2 winner Yell, by A.P. Indy.