A field of 24 juvenile fillies is expected for the five-furlong Queen Mary Stakes (GII), a race named in honor of the British Queen Mary, best known as the consort of King George V and the grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II.
Lady Aurelia captured this event a year ago en route to a French Group 1 victory and this year her trainer, Wesley Ward, will send out Merribelle Stable, Tabor, Smith and Magnier’s Happy Like a Fool as the early favorite. The daughter of Distorted Humor captured a 4 1/2-furlong Keeneland maiden affair by four lengths in April and has trained forwardly since. Ryan Moore rides the chestnut filly from starting stall position 8.
Trainer Clive Cox, who won two Group 1s at Royal Ascot last year, will be represented in the Queen Mary Stakes by six-length Bath winner Heartache. Owned by the Hot to Trot Racing Club, the bay daughter of Kyllachy is highly regarded and seen as the likeliest upsetter for the early favorite.
The Queen Mary has been carded as the day’s second with a post time of 10:05 a.m. ET.
