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QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP STAKES · UNITED STATES

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes prize money

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes is worth $800,000 . That makes it the 112th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 47th richest in the United States.

Every figure here is the money the race announces, in the currency it announces it in. The currency control at the top swaps the whole page.

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $800,000
WORLD RANK 112th
RUNNINGS HELD 42
FIRST RUN 1984

What the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes is

Grade I · miles · Turf · Keeneland Race Course

Flat racing

Racecourse
Keeneland Race Course
Country
United States
Grade
Grade I
Distance
miles
Surface
Turf
Race type
Thoroughbred, Flat racing
Open to
Three-year-old fillies
Direction
Left-handed
First run
1984

We hold the total fund for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes and no separate winner's cheque. What the winner takes is a rule the racecourse sets rather than a national one, and it varies race by race.

Run in 1:48.01 in 2025, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes pays $7,407 for every second of the race, which is 98th of the 611 races in horse racing prize money per second and 51st in the United States.

Every Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes winner

42 runnings, 1984 to 2025, newest first

42 with the rider named

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Prize money
2025 Lush Lips (GB)1:48.01 Tyler Gaffalione Brendan P. Walsh Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan & Mrs. M.V. Magnier $665,300
2024 She Feels Pretty1:46.50 John R. Velazquez Cherie DeVaux Lael Stables (Roy & Gretchen Jackson) $719,375
2023 Mawj (IRE)1:48.06 Oisin Murphy Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin $501,000
2022 Gina Romantica1:48.20 Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Peter M. Brant $569,125
2021 Shantisara (IRE)1:48.86 Flavien Prat Chad C. Brown Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Robert V. LaPenta $500,000
2020 Harvey's Lil Goil1:48.72 Martin Garcia William I. Mott Harvey A. Clarke (Estate) & Paul Braverman $500,000
2019 Cambier Parc1:49.54 John R. Velazquez Chad C. Brown OXO Equine $500,000
2018 Rushing Fall1:50.42 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown e Five Racing Thoroughbreds $500,000
2017 La Coronel1:48.99 Jose Lezcano Mark E. Casse John C. Oxley $500,000
2016 Time and Motion1:50.24 John R. Velazquez James J. Toner Phillips Racing Partnership $500,000
2015 Her Emmynency1:48.84 Florent Geroux Michael Stidham Dawn & Ike Thrash $500,000
2014 Crown Queen1:49.98 John R. Velazquez William I. Mott Besilu Stables $500,000
2013 Kitten's Dumplings1:48.43 Julien R. Leparoux Michael J. Maker Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey $400,000
2012 Dayatthespa1:48.99 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Jerry & Ronald Frankel, Steve Laymon & Bradley Thoroughbreds $400,000
2011 Together (IRE)1:48.83 Colm O'Donoghue Aidan P. O'Brien |Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor $400,000
2010 Harmonious1:49.14 Joel Rosario John Shirreffs Martin, Pam, & Emily Wygods $400,000
2009 Hot Cha Cha1:53.09 James Graham Philip A. Sims Nelson McMakin $500,000
2008 Alwajeeha1:48.09 John R. Velazquez Kiaran P. McLaughlin Shadwell Stable $500,000
2007 Bit of Whimsy1:48.73 Javier Castellano Barclay Tagg Joyce B. Young & Gerald McManis $500,000
2006 Vacare1:48.42 Carlos H. Marquez Jr. Chris M. Block Lothenbach Stables $500,000
2005 Sweet Talker1:51.20 Rafael Bejarano Helen Pitts-Blasi Eliah & Lisa Kahn $500,000
2004 Ticker Tape (GB)1:51.35 Kent J. Desormeaux James M. Cassidy Jim Ford, Deron Pearson & Jack Sweesy $500,000
2003 Film Maker1:47.82 Edgar S. Prado H. Graham Motion Courtlandt Farm $500,000
2002 Riskaverse1:49.84 Mark Guidry Patrick J. Kelly Fox Ridge Farm (Peter G. Schiff) $500,000
2001 Affluent1:50.03 Eddie Delahoussaye Ron McAnally Janis R. Whitham $500,000
2000 Collect the Cash1:47.94 Shane Sellers Joe Orseno Stronach Stables $500,000
1999 Perfect Sting1:50.66 Pat Day Joe Orseno Stronach Stables $500,000
1998 Tenski1:48.54 Richard Migliore Linda L. Rice Richard L. Golden $400,000
1997 Ryafan1:46.64 Alex O. Solis John Gosden Juddmonte Farms $400,000
1996 Memories of Silver1:45.81 Robbie Davis James J. Toner Joan G. & John W. Phillips $400,000
1995 Perfect Arc1:48.84 John R. Velazquez Angel A. Penna Jr. Brazil Stables $250,000
1994 Danish (IRE)1:49.89 Julie Krone Christophe Clement Harry McCalmont $200,000
1993 Tribulation1:53.62 Jean-Luc Samyn James J. Toner James W. Phillips & G. Arthur Seelbinder $200,000
1992 Captive Miss1:48.66 Julie Krone Philip M. Serpe Zeke Minassian $200,000
1991 La Gueriere1:49.86 Brian Dale Peck A. Peter Perkins Wimborne Farm $200,000
1990 Plenty of Grace1:51.40 Jerry D. Bailey John M. Veitch Darby Dan Farm $100,000
1989 Coolawin1:43.20 Jose A. Velez Jr. Carl A. Nafzger James B. Tafel $100,000
1988 Love You by Heart1:44.80 Randy Romero John M. Veitch Darby Dan Farm $100,000
1987 Graceful Darby1:47.20 Jerry D. Bailey John M. Veitch James W. Phillips $100,000
1986 Lotka1:50.00 Walter Guerra Woodford C. Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski $100,000
1985 Contredance1:47.00 Eddie Maple Woodford C. Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski $85,550
1984 Sintra1:43.40 Keith Allen Steven Penrod Cherry Valley Farm $106,625

42 of the 42 runnings name the rider, 42 name the trainer and 42 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to. 42 carry the total prize money for that year, converted here the same way the purse above is.

What the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes has paid, season by season

Total prize money, 1984 to 2025

42 runnings

The total prize money went from $106,625 in 1984 to $665,300 in 2025, 6.2 times more. Every year is converted at today's rate, so the line is the money the race puts up rather than the money the exchange rate did.

Who wins the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes more than once

The fact the table above holds and cannot show

No horse has won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes twice in the 42 runnings on this page.

Most wins by a trainer

Chad C. Brown 5
James J. Toner 3
John M. Veitch 3
William I. Mott 2
Joe Orseno 2
Woodford C. Stephens 2

Races worth about the same

Either side of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes in the world money order

112th of 997

# Race Country Prize money As published
102 Commonwealth CupAscot Racecourse Great Britain $965,248 £725,750
103 Mile Championship Nambu HaiMorioka Racecourse Japan $938,448 ¥140,000,000
104 St Leger StakesDoncaster Racecourse Great Britain $931,000 £700,000
105 Japan Breeding Farms' Cup SprintChanges yearly Japan $911,635 ¥136,000,000
106 Kashiwa KinenFunabashi Racecourse, Funabashi, Chiba Japan $911,635 ¥136,000,000
107 Teio ShoOhi Japan $911,635 ¥136,000,000
108 St James's Palace StakesAscot Racecourse Great Britain $864,500 £650,000
109 Cheltenham Gold CupCheltenham Racecourse Great Britain $860,350 £646,880
110 Eagle Farm CupDoomben Racecourse Australia $844,444 AU$1,200,000
111 First Lady StakesKeeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky United States United States $800,000 $800,000
113 Japan Dirt ClassicOhi Racecourse Japan $797,681 ¥119,000,000
114 Gran Premio LotteriaAgnano Racetrack, Naples, $795,000 $795,000
116 Jeff Ruby SteaksTurfway Park United States $777,000 $777,000
117 Kranji MileSingapore Turf Club Singapore $773,262 S$1,000,000
118 Singapore Gold CupSingapore Turf Club Singapore $773,262 S$1,000,000
119 Belmont DerbyBelmont Park United States $750,000 $750,000
120 Christophe Clement Turf StakesSaratoga Race Course United States $750,000 $750,000
121 Fourstardave StakesSaratoga Race Course United States $750,000 $750,000
122 New York StakesBelmont Park United States $750,000 $750,000
123 Pat Day Mile StakesChurchill Downs United States $750,000 $750,000

The 20 races closest to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes in what they pay, above and below it. Follow the ranking all the way up on the richest races in the world.

The rest of the money in the United States

196 races, 47th of them is this one

Race Racecourse Grade Prize money
Rebel Stakes Oaklawn Park Race Track Grade II $1,000,000
Southwest Stakes Oaklawn Park Race Track Grade III $1,000,000
Whitney Stakes Saratoga Race Course Grade I $1,000,000
First Lady Stakes Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky United States Grade I $800,000
Jeff Ruby Steaks Turfway Park Grade III $777,000
Belmont Derby Belmont Park Grade I $750,000
Christophe Clement Turf Stakes Saratoga Race Course Grade 1 $750,000
Fourstardave Stakes Saratoga Race Course Grade I $750,000

Every race in the United States we hold a purse for is on the United States prize money list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the total Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes prize money?

$800,000.

Where does the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes rank among the richest races in the world?

112th of 997. 111 races pay more, the nearest of them Commonwealth Cup. In the United States it is 47th of 196.

Which jockey has won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes most often?

John R. Velazquez, with 6 wins between 1995 and 2024.

When was the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes first run?

1984. This page holds 42 runnings, from 1984 to 2025.

How far is the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes?

miles, on turf, at Keeneland Race Course.

Where to next

The rest of the racing money