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Expert prediction

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Odds, Betting Preview, Insights & Keeneland Picks (Oct 10)

  • Alex Dudley
  • Oct 7, 2026 at 5:26 AM EDT

Pick rationale

Analysis & key factors

  • When: Saturday, October 10, 2026 @ 5:16 PM ET
  • Where: Keeneland, Lexington, KY
  • How to Watch: FanDuel TV

One of the final big-race weekends before the 2026 Breeders’ Cup is set for this Saturday, as the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes headlines the card at Keeneland. Fillies aged three will compete across 1 1/8 miles on the turf,  and a potential dark horse for the Filly & Mare Turf at the end of the month could emerge. Find the latest odds available at the best horse racing betting sites and our Keeneland picks here.      

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Odds

Horse (Draw)Odds
Haute Diva (1)+5000
Luster (2)+600
Tam Tam (3)+275
Faithful Departed (4)+700
Turner’s Charm (5)+2000
Braida (6)+800
Storm’s Wake (7)+1600
Lookin At Diamond (8)+1400
Kensington Lake (9)+450
Deep Learning (10)+600
Soloist (11)+1200

Latest odds taken from an Offshore Sportsbook. BetOnline markets open on the day of the race.


Race Information & Records

StatInformation
Race Distance1 1/8 Miles
Purse$750,000
Most Successful TrainerChad Brown (5)
Most Successful JockeyJohn Velazquez (4)

ALSO SEE: Breeders’ Cup Classic Picks, Odds, Leading Contenders, Betting Insights & Analysis


Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup: Recent Winners

  • 2025– Lush Lips (Tyler Gaffalione/Brendan Walsh)
  • 2024– She Feels Pretty (John Velazquez/Cherie DeVaux)
  • 2023– Mawj (Oisin Murphy/Saeed bin Suroor)
  • 2022– Gina Romantica (Flavien Prat/Chad Brown)
  • 2021– Shantisara (Flavien Prat/Chad Brown)

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup: Betting Preview

A notable stop on the road to the Breeders’ Cup passes through Keeneland this weekend, as the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup could point bettors in the direction of a likely dark horse for the Filly & Mare Turf later this month. A distance of 1 1/8 miles will be covered in this weekend’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, with a purse of $750,000 up for grabs.

Tam Tam (Philip Bauer) will be a red-hot favorite, with Junior Alvarado taking the ride once again. The three-year-old has excelled on the turf this season, winning back-to-back starts at Churchill Downs and Del Mar. The dominance of her latest win in the G1 Del Mar Oaks shows her prowess over this trip, having held off the re-opposing Lookin At Diamond to win by a length.

However, Kensington Lake (Phillip D’Amato) should be capable of closing the cap on Tam Tam on her second start for the yard, with Joel Rosario booked aboard. The three-year-old was only beaten two lengths at Del Mar in August, and she was previously highly regarded when in training by Irish maestro Aidan O’Brien, winning the G1 Belmont Oaks and finishing fifth in the prestigious G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Chad Brown’s record in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup ensures that Deep Learning should be respected. The daughter of Cairo Prince is yet to win in two starts this season, but she is more unexposed than most. She was last seen finishing third in the G2 Lake Placid, but Keeneland should suit her style better.

Luster and Faithful Departed should also be in contention over this distance. The latter has finished in the first two in six of her starts this season, including notable seconds in the G1 Belmont Oaks and G1 Saratoga Oaks.


Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Picks

At the prices, Braida is massively overlooked for last weekend’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-winning trainer Francis Graffard. The three-year-old by Mehmas has been campaigned over a mile for much of the season, and was last seen winning the Listed Prix de la Cochere at Longchamp.

Pedigree suggests that she will excel over slightly further, and her ground versatility makes her an interesting contender, especially considering that she may be the yard’s primary chance in the Filly & Mare Turf at the Breeders’ Cup.

Free Pick:

Keeneland Picks for October 10, 2026

RacePick
R1 – ClaimingMotown Sound
R2 – Maiden ClaimingBride
R3 – AllowanceBattlefield Hero
R4 – ClaimingOverstatement
R5 – Maiden Special WeightNever Gonna Stop
R6 – Allowance Optional ClaimingSneaky Good
R7 – Maiden Special WeightTannhauser
R8 – Allowance Optional ClaimingCorona de Oro
R9 – G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge CupSEE ABOVE
R10 – Maiden Special WeightBig Life

How to Bet On Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes

These are the best sportsbooks for US bettors to place wagers on Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland:

Sportsbook ratings

1

BetOnline

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2

BetUS

Our rating 9.8/10

RegionsCanadaUnited States

Welcome Bonus125% up to $2500

Minimum deposit$100

3

Lucky Rebel

Our rating 9.6/10

RegionsCanadaUnited States

Welcome Bonus125% Free + 50 Free Spins

Minimum deposit$50

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