Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf

It was another photo finish between a pair of top females during a two-day event that had already seen one storybook result decided by barely a whisker.

But as the results of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf flashed on the Santa Anita Park toteboard on Saturday, it became evident that while 8-5 choice Lady Eli had more than triumphed over physical adversity, the daughter of Divine Park had fallen just short of the result that would have capped off what is already an all-time comeback.

European invader Queen’s Trust denied Lady Eli in her fairytale return from laminitis, just getting her nose down over the multiple Grade 1 winner to upset the 1 ¼-mile Filly and Mare Turf in a finish as narrow in its margin as the epic Beholder-Songbird result less than 24 hours earlier in the Longines Distaff. 

Lady Eli had the sentiment of much of the racing community on her side, having returned to the races this summer after a 13-month layoff following a freak incident where she stepped on a nail while returning from her win in the 2015 Belmont Oaks Invitational and developed laminitis in both front feet.

The 4-year-old mare that trainer Chad Brown has deemed “made of steel” already defied odds when she captured the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park in her second start back. And when she ranged up three wide in the stretch and took aim at Avenge holding strong after setting a quick pace, it looked briefly like the ending of all endings would come to fruition — that is until Queen’s Trust came with her wicked surge outside en route to hitting the wire in a Breeders’ Cup record time of 1:57.75.

“She’s incredible. We know she’s incredible and we know this comeback story was singular, second to none,” said Jay Hanley of Sheep Pond Partners, Lady Eli’s owners. “It’s just hard to see her lose by a nostril. But if she’s back, she’s healthy, that’s all that really matters. That’s the bottom line.”

A Cheveley Park Stud homebred, Queen’s Trust came into the Filly and Mare Turf with just a maiden win from seven starts but finished third in the Darley Yorshire Oaks behind fellow Filly & Mare Turf contender Seventh Heaven and eventual Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found.

The victory gives jockey Frankie Dettori his 12th Breeders’ Cup triumph.

The win also marked the seventh Breeders’ Cup win for trainer Sir Michael Stoute.