NYRA Officials Bring Gold Cup Trophy to The Queen

Queen Elizabeth II could not be at Belmont Park June 8 to watch her 4-year-old homebred colt Call To Mind win the $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T). So a few weeks later, New York Racing Association officials brought the Belmont Gold Cup to the Queen during Royal Ascot.

NYRA CEO and president Chris Kay and senior vice president of racing operations Martin Panza presented the queen with the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes trophy June 19, the opening day of the famed British meet, in no less of a setting than her suite at the racecourse, with members of the royal family, including the recently wed Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on hand.

"It was an amazing moment," Kay said. "She is a delightful woman. Very sharp, very gracious, very engaging. She is quite knowledgeable when it comes to horse racing. She told us that she stayed up to watch the race (post time was 10:45 p.m. in London). She really seemed to enjoy talking with us about her horse and the way the race unfolded."

Panza called it an unforgettable moment as the queen cheerfully accepted the trophy while receiving applause from family members.

"You could see she was delighted to receive the trophy, and all of her family were so happy for her," he said. "It was an incredible scene to watch, and definitely a highlight of my career in racing."

Kay said Elizabeth's passion for racing was evident throughout the brief time they spent talking with her.

"She was great to us," the NYRA executive said. "We in horse racing are so fortunate that she has this great passion for the sport, and she has been able to display it in so many meaningful ways. Not just in England, but around the world."

The presentation took on greater sentiment this week as Call To Mind was retired after sustaining a tendon injury during the Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes (G1). The Belmont Gold Cup goes down as the last of three wins for the son of Galileo from 10 starts. 

After being a guest of the royal family, Kay extended some hospitality of his own. He invited the queen to join him for a day of racing at Saratoga.

"She was probably being polite, but she said she would consider it," Kay said. "She told me, 'It sounds lovely. Let me think about it.'"