Three-year-old Brede Weg made her first foray into top-level company a coming-out party with a victory over older rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) Nov. 12 at Kyoto Racecourse.
The race marked a turning point in the division as last year’s winner, Geraldina, could only manage a fifth-place showing and another of Japan’s top 3-year-old fillies, Harper, was third.
Brede Weg got away cleanly from the inside gate in a field of 15 and jockey Christophe Lemaire positioned her well back of two breakaway early leaders. Geraldina, meanwhile, reared at the break and visiting rider Ryan Moore had to ask her immediately to get into a position in mid-pack rounding the first turn.
Turning into the stretch with some 400 meters to go, Brede Weg still had a lot to do but set about closing a big gap with authority. With eventual runner-up Rouge Eveil right behind, she got to the lead well before the finish and won by three-quarters of a length.
The 2,200 meters (about 1 5/8 miles) on good to firm turf took 2:12.6, well shy of the course record of 2:09.7.
Despite the official going description, Lemarie said he had concerns.
“I was a bit worried about the soft ground,” he said. “But it was no problem for her. We couldn’t break well but were able to travel in good position behind Harper. She was calm, responded well throughout the race and pulled away strongly with her explosive kick.”
Brede Weg became the first 3-year-old filly to win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup since Mozu Katchan in 2017. She also became the Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner with the fewest career starts.
The compromising start spoiled a feel-good story for Moore.
“I won grade 1 races on both her sire and dam—Maurice and Gentildonna —and that is something special for me,” said Moore, completing an eight-day international swing that took him from the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to the Melbourne Cup (G1) before the Japan stop.
The outcome continued a slide for Geraldina, who followed last year’s QE II win with a third in the Arima Kinen (G1) but now has missed the top three spots in five consecutive starts.
Brede Weg, a daughter of Lord Kanaloa from the Deep Impact mare Inner Urge, raced only once as a 2-year-old, finishing second in a newcomers’ event at Niigata in August, then was put away until February.
She responded with two wins in her first two starts of 2023, moving up the experience ladder while increasing in distance from 1,800 meters (about 1 mile) to 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles).
Back at one mile for her first pattern race, the Rose Stakes (G2) Sept. 17 at Hanshin, she posted an impressive runner-up showing behind only the promising Masked Diva—good enough to send her along to the QE II with high hopes.
Masked Diva went on to finish second in the Shuka Sho (G1) in her next race behind only division-leading Liberty Island. Liberty Island did not contest the QE II.
Brede Weg was bred by Northern Farm and carries the familiar black, red and yellow silks of Sunday Racing.
