For the second straight weekend, a Gainesway sire saw their runner on top in a Grade 1 when KARAKONTIE’s She Feels Pretty became a Grade 1 winner at both two and three with a victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1).
Breaking well, the Lael Stables representative took up a spot on the rail through the stretch for the first time in the 1 1/8 mile turf race. That was a spot that the 3-year-old kept just behind the leader down the backstretch and around the turn before the running got serious going into the final stage.
Longtime leader Caitlinhergrtness was alone at the top of the stretch, but She Feels Pretty quickly joined her before running straight past. There was no chance for anyone to catch the eventual leader once she had the lead with the addition of blinkers proving to be the exact right move. She Feels Pretty was allowed to go at her own pace to the line with a six length victory in the end as the favorite.
Watch this jaw dropping performance! #3 SHE FEELS PRETTY ($5.08) absolutely dominates the $750,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at @keenelandracing. The daughter of Karakontie was ridden by @ljlmvel and is trained by @reredevaux.
Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/75AETgYe8g
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 12, 2024
“Today she was covered up, and when I pulled her out she was ready to go, and I made sure I kept her decent down the lane, just in case one of the European horses was coming running. So I wanted to keep her running. What a feeling when you pull her out and she gives you that quick spurt out of there. I was pretty happy with the way she did it, yeah,” said jockey John Velazquez.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the KARAKONTIE 3-year-old has finished on the board in all seven of her starts with wins in the Natalma S. (G1) and Hilltop S. joining the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) as stakes victories for the filly. A top-level horse through and through, she was also third in last years’ Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and this year’s Belmont Oaks (G1) in addition to a second in the Lake Placid S. (G2) last out.
Purchased by her racing owner for $240,000 from Stone Farm as a yearling, She Feels Pretty was bred by Payson Stud out of three-time winning More Than Ready daughter Summer Sweet.
Summer Sweet is a half-sister to stakes winners Summer Breezing and Adirondack Summer and the Grade 1-placed Summer Solo – that mare going on to produce two stakes winners.
There is stakes success throughout the family with She Feels Pretty’s second dam the stakes winner Summer Solstice, who herself is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Act One and Group 1-placed runners Gharir and Summer Symphony.
Summer Sweet foaled a filly from OLYMPIAD’s first crop this year.
She Feels Pretty is one of six stakes winners and 10 stakes performers for KARAKONTIE in 2024, putting him at nearly 6% stakes winners and 10% stakes performers this year.