Horse Racing News: Consistent Mare The Velvet Queen Set to Retire After Strickland Stakes
Belmont Park, June 16, 2023
The Velvet Queen, a consistent and accomplished five-year-old mare, is set to end her racing career in Saturday’s Group 3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont Park.
The Darren McAuliffe-trained galloper has enjoyed a formidable record, winning seven races and finishing in the placings on six occasions from her 24 career starts. She was previously placed twice at Group 3 level and took out the $100,000 Ascot Mile (1600m) in 2023.
“If you want a successful broodmare, you can’t keep racing them until the end of the earth,” he told TABradio. “Her full brother (The Velvet King) was also a successful racehorse, so I think it would be fair to call time on her career.”
Entering Saturday’s $200,000 Strickland Stakes off the back of an encouraging performance in the Hyperion Stakes (1600m), The Velvet Queen will face eight rivals, including the likes of Let’s Galahvant, Western Empire and Marocchino. Jockey Chris Nicoll, who had his first ride on the mare in her last start, will once again be in the saddle.
McAuliffe is confident the step up to 2000m will suit The Velvet Queen, saying, “She’s been ticking along beautifully, and getting on to a softer track is the biggest key. She wouldn’t let down at Ascot during the summer.”
Western Empire, who recently won the Belmont Sprint (1400m), is expected to be the warm favorite for the Strickland Stakes. Other notable runners include Perth Cup winner Casino Seventeen and runner-up Be Optimistic.
In other stable news:
- McAuliffe is confident it’s only a matter of time before Chollima scores some valuable black-type, as the horse prepares to line up over 1400m at Belmont on Saturday.
- Another of McAuliffe’s stable stars, Vast Art, is set to trial within the next month, following a consistent campaign.
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