Motion and Laurelin fly a lot of flags in QEII Challenge Cup

A filly bred in Ireland who is owned by a couple from South Africa and trained by a native of Great Britain tries to maintain her undefeated record Saturday in the U.S. heartland.

Only in America would be a trite way of putting it. In reality the story of Laurelin and her 5-for-5 record being put to the test in the Grade 1, $800,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland is typical of the global game of horse racing. It certainly holds true for trainer Graham Motion, he of Maryland by way of Cambridge, England.

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“We’ve always had opportunities from European owners,” he said. “It’s probably no coincidence probably that we do well on the grass. It’s what we like. It sort of suits our training style. So yes, I’ve been very fortunate to have some really good European clients that have supplied us with these horses.”

In this case, married owners Jessica and Steven Jell have their roots not in Europe but in South Africa. Jessica’s grandfather was diamond magnate and breeding legend Harry Oppenheimer. Steven became an assistant to record-setting trainer Mike De Kock.

It was during the COVID year 2020 when the Jells spent a reported $9.5 million to buy 353-acre Newstead Farm near Upperville, Va.

“My family are actually in that area,” Motion said this week on Horse Racing Nation’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod. “My brother lives very close to them. So one thing led to another, and we made the connection. They’re very invested in racing and have brought over another filly from South Africa called Gimme a Nother who recently won a Grade 2. So they have a long history of racing. They race in Europe. They have a big operation in South Africa.

“Mary Slack, Jessica’s mom, also has a big operation in South Africa, and we actually have two fillies for her. One’s a filly she bought in South America, and one’s homebred, so yes, we’ve trained for Mary as well.”

The Jells have been toeing the U.S. racing waters since early last year. While the sample size of 27 starts is not big, their strike rate is impressive with 10 wins, seven seconds and a third. Half the victories have come from Laurelin, their undefeated standout who sold for $169,488 at the September 2023 Goffs Orby yearling sale in Ireland.

Laurelin is by Zarak, a highly regarded stallion based in France who has produced 21 group winners. He himself was sired by iconic chef de race Dubawi.

“The Zaraks have been phenomenal in Europe,” Motion said. “We actually tried to buy one at the recent Goffs sale in Ireland, where Laurelin came from, but she was too expensive. They’re very successful in Europe. Great bloodlines.”

A bona-fide turf router in her five wins, Laurelin has flexed some versatility. She made her debut with a 1 1/16-mile win almost exactly a year ago at Aqueduct, where she then scored going a mile in the Tepin Stakes. That gave the Jells their first U.S. stakes victory.

“We liked her a lot as a 2-year-old, so the fact that she came out and ran well the first time out was not surprising,” Motion said. Then he paused and said, “I’m always a little surprised I guess when they win, because you lose 80% of the time.”

After a winter break, Laurelin was back at Aqueduct to win the one-mile Memories of Silver. In June she had no trouble negotiating yielding turf in the twice-postponed Penn Oaks. That led to her Aug. 9 triumph stretching to 1 3/16 miles in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G2).

“I certainly have had versatile fillies,” Motion said. “From Fair Hill we run in so many different locations, so it’s not unusual to see a horse running a different racetrack every time in different conditions. I’ve never had a filly that I can recall going 5-for-5 like she has.”

Cutting to 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Keeneland, Laurelin steps up to Grade 1 company. With her regular rider Kendrick Carmouche, she takes on eight other 3-year-old fillies. Fionn, a millionaire who has won 6 of 8 starts for trainer Brad Cox, appears to be the most daunting. Her last three wins came in the Regret (G3) at Churchill Downs, the Belmont Oaks (G1) at Saratoga and the Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

“We’ll kind of vie with her for favoritism, I guess,” Motion said. “It’s kind of funny that they haven’t met to this point. They’ve always stayed away from each other. She’s obviously a threat, but it’s a very competitive group.”

Motion stopped short of saying aye or nay to giving Laurelin a shot in the 1 3/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

“I try not to get too far ahead of myself,” said Motion, who has won four Breeders’ Cup races. “It would be a lot to come back in three weeks with a 3-year-old filly. But then I think in this country we tend to a little more conservative with 3-year-old fillies.”

If nothing else, Motion sees the QEII Cup as being ambitious in its own right.

“Look, it’s a Grade 1,” he said. “It’s probably the most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies on the grass, right?”