Toronado, Verrazano Meet in Queen Anne

Al Shaqab Racing's group I winner Toronado heads a field of 10 entered for the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) June 15, opening day at Royal Ascot.

The race is one of three group I races on the card along with the Saint James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds and King's Stand Stakes for sprinters.

Toronado makes his first start in nearly 10 months since finishing sixth to Declaration of War in the Juddmonte International (Eng-I) Aug. 21 at York. Prior to the race, he turned the tables on Dawn Approach in the Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) July at Goodwood after finishing second by a nose to that rival in a St. James's Palace Stakes thriller.

Chief among challengers for the Richard Hannon trainee is United States grade I winner Verrazano  , who showed promise for European racing when he finished third to Al Shaqab's Olympic Glory and Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds' Tullius in the JLT Lockinge Stakes (Eng-I) May 17 at Newbury for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Tullius also is entered in the Queen Anne.

Gerard and Alain Wertheimer's Anodin will try to emulate full sister Goldikova by winning the Queen Anne.

Trainer Freddy Head sent out U.S. and European champion Goldikova to victory in the 2010 edition of the race and has Anodin ready for the one-mile test on the straight course. The colt from the final crop of prominent sire Anabaa was supplemented and will be making his first start outside of his native France following a second to European star Cirrus des Aigles in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) May 25 at Longchamp.

Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I), 4YO & Up, one mile, turf