Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion Reunite in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion Reunite in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup by Reinier Macatangay: Fan favorite Catch a Glimpse starts on Saturday at Keeneland in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI), one race after losing for the first time on grass to Time and Motion in the Lake Placid Stakes (GII) at Saratoga. She will attempt to make amends for owners Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm.

Luckily for fans who enjoy a good rematch, Time and Motion will act as the main competition again in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, but Catch a Glimpse’s supporters should keep her as the slight favorite.

Should Catch a Glimpse remain the choice based on form?

On paper, there does not seem to be any glaring excuse for the loss. Speed types like Catch a Glimpse love an uncontested lead, and she had a one-length margin in the initial stages of the Lake Placid. She also took them through a modest opening quarter and half mile under Florent Geroux, leaving no excuse in the pace department.

Turning for home, Catch a Glimpse opened up momentarily on Time and Motion, and signs pointed to her continuing the incredible turf win streak to nine straight races. But Time and Motion, with John Velazquez on board, had saved ground on the inside and switched out for the stretch run. She had dead aim on the leader.

Time and Motion, trained by James Toner and owned by Phillips Racing Partnership, mowed down Catch a Glimpse to the dismay of fans everywhere.

Catch a Glimpse’s trainer Mark Casse did not offer an excuse after the race.

“A better filly beat her today,” he said for the track stakes recap.

Handicappers might note that Time and Motion, who finished fifth in Catch a Glimpse’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) at Keeneland last fall, had already displayed improved form at the start of this year by winning three straight races. She then placed runner-up to Catch a Glimpse in the Belmont Oaks Invitational, but arguably ran just as well.

After the Lake Placid, Time and Motion’s jockey admitted he needed to use strategy to beat Catch a Glimpse.

“Wherever she went, I was going to keep her right on her tail,” Velazquez said.

It would not be a surprise to see the same tactics on Saturday, although other speed is lined up to face Catch a Glimpse, including On Leave to the outside in post two, and Stays in Vegas in the third post position. Time and Motion’s strategy may depend on whether other horses can provide the dirty work early on.

Also, On Leave is on a four-race winning streak for trainer Shug McGaughey, and another progression forward could catapult her to a fifth 2016 win. Three-year-old horses normally have room to improve going forward.

The remaining runners have their work cut out for them, although Harmonize showed good form earlier in the year at Churchill Downs and Belmont Park, when she lost by small margins to Catch a Glimpse and Time and Motion.

Mokat arrives from Del Mar, and she took the San Clemente Handicap (GII), before settling for fourth in the Del Mar Oaks (GI) against Harmonize. While it is hard to imagine an upset, either of them can pick up a check.

Hawksmoor, Try Your Luck and Queen Caroline complete the field.

Catch a Glimpse and Time and Motion are the stars of this race though, and eyes will be upon them in their highly anticipated rematch.