Racing mourns after Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the royal family posted on Twitter, a medium Her Majesty could not have conjured when she ascended to the throne in 1952. “The King (Charles III) and Queen Consort (Camilla) will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London (on Friday).”
Soon after Queen Elizabeth's death was announced by Buckingham Palace, reaction poured in from those in the racing industry.
Ascot Racecourse noted racing had lost "one of its great supporters" in a statement. Queen Elizabeth attended her first Royal Ascot meet in 1946 and until this year, had not missed an entire meet since she ascended to the throne 70 years ago.
“The nation mourns the loss of a much loved and respected Monarch. The world of racing has lost one of its great supporters. We at Ascot are privileged to have so many memories of Her Majesty The Queen at this her racecourse, including some wonderful victories in the Royal colours. We offer deepest sympathies to His Majesty The King and the whole Royal Family.”
The British Horse Racing Authority announced all racing in Britain was canceled on Thursday and Friday. As for Saturday racing and beyond, the BHA said an announcement would be made Friday.
"All of British Racing is in mourning today following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen," the BHA said in a statement. "Her Majesty has been one of the greatest and most influential supporters in the history of horseracing. Her passion for racing and the racehorse shone brightly throughout her life.
"From her first-ever winner Monaveen, through stars such as Carrozza and Highclere, to the unforgettable Estimate, Her Majesty The Queen has helped to shape the breed and contributed to moments on the track that will go down in sporting folklore.
"It is right, therefore, that all racing is suspended for today and tomorrow as we begin to grieve Her Majesty’s passing and remember her extraordinary life and contribution to our sport and our nation."
International powerhouse Godolphin also offered its condolences.
"Everyone at Godolphin is deeply saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen. She was an outstanding and devoted head of state, who loved the Thoroughbred and our sport with a passion. Our deepest condolences go to the Royal Family and to the country."
As a result of the Queen's passion for racing, multiple major stakes around the world are named in her honor. Most notably, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G2) held at Keeneland in the fall, and England's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1), a one-mile event now held on British Champions Day.
In 1984, the Queen was on hand at Keeneland to watch the inaugural running of the Queen Elizabeth II. She made another trip to the Bluegrass State in 2007 to watch that year's Kentucky Derby won by Street Sense.
The Queen was twice Britain's champion flat owner in 1954 and 1957. She also won four of the five British classics with the exception being the Epsom Derby. Her closest finish in the Epsom Derby came in 1953 when Aureole finished second during the same week of her coronation.
Highclere was a dual classic winner for the queen in 1974. She captured both the 1,000 Guineas in England before adding France's Prix de Diane later in the campaign.
Dunfermline, who Racing Post described as "arguably the Queen's greatest horse," completed a classic double of her own in 1977 when landing both the Epsom Oaks and St Leger in the queen's silver jubilee year.
In 2013, the Queen's racing stable returned to the spotlight when Estimate carried her iconic silks to victory in the Gold Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot. Racing Post noted the Gold Cup was "the fixture more associated with her than any other."
The clip below is the queen watching Estimate's Gold Cup victory.