Tepin bests international cast in Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot
Turf superstar Tepin took her show overseas for the first time. Paired with regular jockey Julien Leparoux, who was also at Royal Ascot for the first time, Tepin patiently bided her time down the straightaway before gamely prevailing at the wire in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
It was not the easy victory fans of the mare have become accustomed to, but it's easily one of her biggest wins to date. Overseas travel, lack of a nasal strip or lasix, a straight mile run, soft turf, and a jockey who had never ridden at the track before could not stop her, proving that for Tepin, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Breaking from gate 12, Tepin and Julien Leparoux crossed over in front of the rivals immediately to their inside to take up position at the head of the flight to the inside of the straightaway. Kodi Bear headed the group of runners to the outside, and Barchan broke running, going to the lead and opening up a sizeable advantage over the rest of the field.
As per usual with European turf racing, the better part of the race was run at a leisurely pace. Barchan continued to show the way through the first three-quarters of the race while Kodi Bear and Tepin maintained their positions at the head of two straight lines of runners.
With a quarter mile left to run, Kodi Bear took over from Barchan as the field began to spread out across the track for the sprint to the wire. Leparoux guided Tepin outside toward that foe to engage them, and Belardo advanced between those two to put in a bid for the lead.
Inside the final furlong, Tepin wrested the lead away from Kodi Bear with Belardo trying his best keep stride. For a couple strides, it looked as though Belardo would catch and pass Tepin, but the American Queen of the Turf would not be denied. She bravely held off the 4-year old colt's charge to win by 1/2-length in a final time of 1:43.87.
Favored Belardo was second, and outsider Lightning Spear was third. Toormore, Ervedya, Amazing Maria, Kodi Bear, Cougar Mountain, Endless Drama, A Shin Erwin, Mondialiste, Barchan, and Esoterique completed the order of finish.
Group 2 winner Arod was scratched due to the soft ground.
Winning rider Julien Leparoux was understandably excited to have conquered Ascot in both his and Tepin's first race there. "Just amazing, a great feeling," he exclaimed. "She's a champion, and she proved it today. The last 100m was a long way to go!"
By Bernstein and out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened, Tepin is the first runner from outside Europe to win the Group 1 Queen Anne. Owned by Robert E. Masterson, the 5-year old improved her record to 20: 12-3-1 for earnings in excess of $3.6 million. It was also her 7th consecutive victory in a streak that dates back to October of last year.
Winning trainer Mark Casse said after the race, "We wanted her to show how great she was and she did that today."
The Group 1 Sussex Stakes next month could be the next start for Tepin. A defense of her Breeders' Cup Mile crown is the definite year end goal according to Casse.