Bodog Beat

Keeneland was the place to be this weekend as Hot Cha Cha upset a field of 7 3-year-old fillies to win the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. (AP Images)

In Saturday's $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland, Hot Cha Cha surprised everyone — except for trainer Phil Sims and jockey James Graham — with her first place, 4 1/2 length finish over second place finisher Shared Account (ridden by Edgar Prado). Shared Account set the pace for most of the race, but then lost her lead when Hot Cha Cha found an inside opening on the home stretch and bolted towards the finish line at a time of 1:53.09. For the win Hot Cha Cha picks up a $300,000 payday, giving her a total of $585,566.

"We've been together a lot of years, and this is the best win we've ever had," Sims said. "She's just getting better and better."

Gozzip Girl, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, finished third and Miss World finished fourth.

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In other Breeders' Cup Challenge horse racing news, Mambo Meister earned an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with his 3 3/4-length victory in the (G3) $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap.

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