Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Hopefuls Prep At Keeneland

A pair of expected runners in Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland hit the track on Monday and Tuesday.

Maiden Tower, winner of the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-III) and Prix de Sandringham (Fr-II), stretched her legs at Keeneland Monday morning, working five furlongs on the main track for trainer Henri-Alex Pantall. The Darley Stable color-bearer was clocked in 1:04 on a fast track.

On Tuesday, trainer Neil Howard, deputizing for trainer Ian Balding, sent Ambassador Will Farish's Vodafone Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) winner Casual Look a half-mile on the Keeneland turf course. Tracking the Howard-trained America Alive through an opening quarter in a pedestrian :29 seconds, the classy daughter of Red Ransom finished in :23 2/5, pulling away from her workmate by two lengths, with a final eighth clocked in :11 1/5.