Ascot Racecourse publicity reported April 29 that recent Memories Of Silver Stakes winner Laurelin has been entered in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
At this point in the process, that "entry" would be comparable to a nomination in the United States. The Coronation is a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.
Ascot reported that entries from six countries have been accepted in the eight group 1 races planned for the meeting that will offer £10 million (US$13.4 million) in prize money. All eight group 1 races will offer at least £650,000.
Newstead Stables' Laurelin secured her third win in as many starts when she opened her 3-year-old campaign with a narrow victory in the one-mile Memories Of Silver April 27 on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack. She is trained by H. Graham Motion, who has twice sent out horses to runner-up finishes in the Coronation: Sharing (2020) and Spendarella (2022).
After the recent stakes win Motion said: "That was very cool. She is just a stone-cold runner this filly. I really wasn't sure if she was fit enough today, but I wanted to get her started in this race because she does so well at Aqueduct (where she's made all three of her starts).
"I think everything is on the table at this point. I will nominate her to the Coronation at Ascot in June. But there are so many nice races for 3-year-old fillies (in the U.S.) as well, so we have a lot of options. The one thing I'll say is I won't be in a hurry to run her back, I thought she ran a big race today."
Granpollo Stable's Grand Mo the First, who finished third in last year's Florida Derby (G1) and is grade 3-placed on turf, could be a first Royal Ascot runner for Florida trainer Victor Barboza Jr. Grand Mo the First is entered in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) for older horses going a mile.
