La Coronel Leads All the Way Home in QEII

The name of the race was fitting, given her history.

John Oxley's La Coronel shipped to England to run in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot this June, and gave a good account of herself when fifth against the likes of Winter, Roly Poly, and Hydrangea.

But it was the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Lane's End (G1T) Oct. 14 at Keeneland that set the stage for the 3-year-old Colonel John filly's breakout performance, and La Coronel responded to trainer Mark Casse's faith with a front-running rout under Jose Lezcano to collect her first grade 1 win. 

"I think she was a little confused over there going the opposite way (at Ascot)," Oxley said. "It was a wonderful environment there and she was a little aggitated when she came back. Today she looked more settled in the paddock, and Jose knows her now, and he just rode the perfect race.

"And I want to give all the credit to Mark Casse. He bought this filly out of the 2-year-old sale on his judgment, and 98% of the credit goes to him. All I do is pay the bills."

Something about Keeneland agrees with the dark bay filly, who stepped up there in October of 2016 to win the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G3T), and returned this spring for a victory in the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G3T). She has never been beaten at the Lexington track.

Nursed along through a moderate pace Saturday in the 1 1/8-mile event after breaking well from post 6 in a field of 10 peers, La Coronel led the procession through fractions of :23.81, :48.60, and 1:13.47 before Lezcano went to work entering the lane. Although Daddys Lil Darling kicked on well from a stalking third, she was unable to bridge the gap through a 1:36.97 mile, and wound up second by half a length. 

"I wanted to go to the lead," Lezcano said. "She was very comfortable there. Last time I rode her (in the grade 2 Sands Point Stakes Sept. 16 at Belmont Park), she jumped a little bit early into the bit, but after that she relaxed on the backside. Today she broke and was very comfortable (on the lead) so I let her be. She was comfortable the whole way around."

The final time on a firm Haggin Turf Course was 1:48.99. Off at odds of 5-1, La Coronel returned $12.20, $7, and $4.80. Daddys Lil Darling paid $10.40 and $6.80 at 9-1, and 20-1 shot Madam Dancealot brought $8.60 when she completed the trifecta 3 1/2 lengths further back. 

Uni, Beau Recall, New Money Honey, Dream Dancing, Proctor's Ledge, Con Te Patiro, and Unforgetable Filly completed the order of finish. Wuheida was scratched.

"She left there running," assistant trainer David Carroll said of La Coronel's performance. "But you could tell her ears were going back and forth, so that told me she was very comfortable with what she was doing. Jose used that to his advantage and she kicked in awfully hard.

"She loves this turf course and some horses do, some horses don't. And what can you say about the Oxleys? They're the greatest owners in the world. We're just so happy to have them."

La Coronel, who was bred by Kim Nardelli, Rodney Nardelli, Susan Bunning, A. Jaffreys, and B. Jaffreys out of the Chester House mare Listen, has five wins and two seconds from 12 starts for earnings of $754,844. She was a $375,000 purchase by East-West Stable from Winner's Circle Thoroughbreds' consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales' April 2016 sale of 2-year-olds in training. She also went through the ring for $37,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall 2015 yearling sale, when Teresa and David Palmer bought her from Nardelli Sales. 

La Coronel's connections will meet to plan the future for their newly minted top-level winner.

"They don't have a race for her in the Breeders' Cup, so I don't know (what's next)," Oxley said. "We may give her a rest until next year."

"Some people might have doubted her, but she showed her true colors today," Carroll remarked.