by Jeff Apel
Magical Fantasy, a California-based competitor who began her racing career in England, will seek her second consecutive Grade 1 victory on Saturday in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course.
Magical Fantasy earned her first North American win in her previous start in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on August 16. The Diesis (GB) filly joined trainer Patrick Gallagher’s barn in California after making five starts in England as a juvenile for trainer James Nicol.
David Bienstock’s, Paul Mandabach’s, and Charles Winner’s Magical Fantasy has raced at six different tracks in nine career starts during her two-year racing career, including a runner-up finish in the Senorita Stakes (G3) in her North American debut on May 10 at Hollywood Park.
Gallagher hopes Magical Fantasy’s ability to adapt to new surroundings is a big plus when the chestnut filly makes her first start in Kentucky in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. The 1 1/8-mile turf race drew 11 three-year-old fillies, including Grade 1 winners Backseat Rhythm and Ariege.
“I guess you never know until you run,” Gallagher said of Magical Fantasy’s ability to adjust to Keeneland. “But she’s run at Hollywood and Del Mar. She shipped into Santa Anita [Park]. She seems to train at all three tracks about the same. So everything is so far so good.”
Magical Fantasy rallied from ninth in a field of ten to win the Del Mar Oaks under jockey Alex Solis, who will ride the filly on Saturday. Gallagher said Magical Fantasy “seems to be doing very well” since winning the Del Mar Oaks.
“It was a good performance—a very good performance,” Gallagher said. “She’s taking on a good field of fillies [on Saturday]. But her race was really good in Del Mar.”
Backseat Rhythm enters off consecutive victories in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2) on August 15 at Saratoga Race Course and the Garden City Stakes (G1) on September 6 at Belmont Park. Both races were contested over 1 1/8 miles on yielding turf.
Patrick Reynolds trains the El Corredor filly for owner Paul Pompa Jr.
Ariege finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Backseat Rhythm, in the Garden City. Trained by Bobby Frankel for owners IEAH Stables and Pegasus Holding Group Stables, Ariege entered the Garden City on a three-race win streak that included a victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on March 8.
The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup field also includes multiple graded stakes winners Storm Mesa and My Princess Jess and graded stakes winners Alwajeeha and Closeout.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor