Watch: Enable reigns in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth
The queen reigns once more.
Under jockey Frankie Dettori, Enable thundered home Saturday to a third victory in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. The victory was the 6-year-old mare’s 14th in 17 career starts, and 11thin Group 1 flight.
Enable drew just two rivals Saturday, Aidan O’Brien trainees Japan and Sovereign, for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth. Sovereign broke to the lead, with Enable and Japan riding together in company through the early stages of the 1 ½-mile trip.
Sovereign was six lengths in front going up the hill toward the final turn. As the field came around the final bend, the John Gosden trainee Enable inched closer to the pace setter.
Enable drew even with Sovereign with a furlong-and-a-half to go, while Dettori gave a long look over his left shoulder to Japan and jockey Ryan Moore. But Japan had no rally that could match Enable’s burst down the stretch.
The Great British-bred Enable drew off and won by four lengths, covering the 12 furlongs in 2:28.99 for Dettori's record-tying seventh victory in the event. Sovereign stayed up for second ahead of Japan.
Enable’s victory Saturday was her first since last August’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1). The daughter of Nathaniel entered off a second-place run July 5 at Sandown Park in the Coral-Eclipse (G1).
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth also gives Enable a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf, to be run Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The mare won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf but didn’t contest last year’s edition.