Three Japanese Oaks winners meet at Kyoto on Sunday, and that alone makes this one of the best fillies and mares races of the year. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2026 goes to post at 1:40am ET, so US fans can set their bets on Saturday night. Juryoku Pierrot heads the market, but she has not raced since May.
To begin with, we run through the race details and the full draw. After that, we look at the main contenders, the likely pace and our picks. Also, for the rest of the month’s big races, see our November 2026 betting calendar.
Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2026 Race Details
This is the 51st running of the race, and it is still a Group 1 for fillies and mares aged three and up. Once again, the field of 18 races 2,200 meters on the outer turf course at Kyoto, which is about 1 3/8 miles going right-handed. Three-year-olds carry 54kg, while older mares carry 56kg.
The JRA puts total prize money at ¥326.5 million, or about $2 million, so the winner takes ¥150 million. That is roughly $940,000 at current rates. Last year Regaleira won in 2:11.0, but she does not run this time.
Three Oaks Winners in One Field
Juryoku Pierrot won the Japanese Oaks at Tokyo in May by a neck. On top of that, her rider, Seina Imamura, became the first female jockey to win a JRA Group 1 that day. Kamunyak won the same race in 2025, while Cervinia took it in 2024.
Since then, their paths look very different. For example, Kamunyak comes in off a win in the Ireland Trophy (G2) in October. By contrast, Juryoku Pierrot missed the Shuka Sho with colic, and Cervinia has struggled in three starts this year.
Full Field and Draw
The JRA drew the gates on Friday. Our table lists all 18 runners with jockey, trainer and projected odds, since Japan does not publish a morning line.
| Horse (Gate) | Jockey / Trainer | Odds | Form Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavanda (1) | Mirai Iwata / N. Nakamura | 75/1 | Also ran third behind Kamunyak in the Ireland Trophy (G2) |
| Lay Classic (2) | Atsuya Nishimura / K. Shintani | 125/1 | A three-year-old, so she carries 54kg |
| Stellenbosch (3) | Kenichi Ikezoe / K. Miyata | 60/1 | Won the 2024 Oka Sho, but 11th in the Niigata Kinen |
| Estupenda (4) | Kiwamu Ogino / M. Takayanagi | 125/1 | Among the outsiders, so she needs a career best |
| Nishino Ti Amo (5) | Akihide Tsumura / Y. Uehara | 150/1 | One of the longest shots, though she draws gate 5 |
| Voulezvous (6) | Hayato Yoshida / K. Take | 28/1 | Mid-priced outsider, though she has a handy gate |
| Kamunyak (7) | Yuga Kawada / Yasuo Tomomichi | 8/1 | Ireland Trophy (G2) winner, also the 2025 Oaks winner |
| Lesedrama (8) | Fuma Matsuwaka / Y. Tsujino | 150/1 | Big outsider, but she may race near the lead |
| Queen's Walk (9) | Cristian Demuro / Mitsumasa Nakauchida | 9/1 | Third in the Victoria Mile (G1), then 8th in the Ireland Trophy |
| Sekitoba East (10) | Shun Hamanaka / Hirofumi Shii | 17/2 | Sixth in this race last year, then won the Fuchu Himba (G3) |
| Juryoku Pierrot (11) | Seina Imamura / Ryo Terashima | 9/10 | Won the Oaks (G1) in May, then missed the Shuka Sho with colic |
| Shadow Meteor (12) | Kosei Miura / T. Kanari | 22/1 | Niigata Himba Stakes (G3) winner in October |
| Jocelyn (13) | Christophe Lemaire / Yuichi Shikato | 25/1 | Second to Kamunyak in the Ireland Trophy (G2) |
| Cervinia (14) | Tom Marquand / Tetsuya Kimura | 50/1 | 2024 Oaks and Shuka Sho winner, but out of form this year |
| Laughterlines (15) | Yutaka Take / M. Ogasa | 12/1 | Flora Stakes (G2) winner, then third in the Oaks |
| Aqua Vernal (16) | Kohei Matsuyama / Hirofumi Shii | 9/1 | Third in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2), still chasing a graded win |
| Kelly Fled Ask (17) | Yuichi Kitamura / H. Fujiwara | 300/1 | Finished 14th in this race last year, so she needs a big step up |
| Koganeno Sora (18) | Yuji Tannai / T. Kikuzawa | 22/1 | Second in the Queen Stakes (G3) last time, so she is in form |
Japan does not publish a morning line. Our odds are netkeiba's projected prices from the evening of November 13 in Japan, converted to fractional form, so treat them as a rough guide. The pari-mutuel pool settles your ticket, and program numbers in the MyWinners app may differ from the gate numbers here.
Main Contenders
Juryoku Pierrot (Gate 11)
The Orfevre filly arrives on a run of three straight wins, which the Oaks capped in style. Ryo Terashima had planned the Shuka Sho as her prep, but colic ruled her out. So she runs fresh off a near six-month break, and that is the big question at a short price.
Even so, she has the most upside in the race. She also gets 2kg from the older mares, and Imamura knows her well.
Kamunyak (Gate 7)
Yasuo Tomomichi’s mare won the Ireland Trophy last time for her fourth graded win. She also finished second in the Victoria Mile (G1) in May, so her form holds up against the best mares in Japan. As a result, with Yuga Kawada aboard from a nice middle gate, we think she is the value play.
Sekitoba East (Gate 10)
She ran sixth in this race last year, then won the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G3) in June from the front. Her prep went badly, though, as she finished 15th in the Ireland Trophy. Still, Shun Hamanaka should take her to the lead again, while her camp liked avoiding an inside gate.
Queen’s Walk and Aqua Vernal
Queen’s Walk finished third in the Victoria Mile before an eighth in the Ireland Trophy. Cristian Demuro takes over from gate 9. Meanwhile, Aqua Vernal ran third in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2) over 2,400 meters and still looks for her first graded win. Kohei Matsuyama rides her from gate 16.
Laughterlines and the International Riders
Laughterlines won the Flora Stakes (G2) and then finished third in the Oaks behind Juryoku Pierrot. Yutaka Take rides her from gate 15.
Two big names also catch our eye. First, Christophe Lemaire partners Jocelyn, who ran second to Kamunyak in the Ireland Trophy. Then there is Tom Marquand, who rides Cervinia from gate 14 as she tries to find her old form.
Pace and Draw Analysis
Expect Sekitoba East to lead. She won the Fuchu Himba Stakes from the front, and netkeiba’s pace model also puts her in front early, with Lesedrama and Kamunyak close by. As a result, we expect an even gallop rather than a mad dash.
That setup suits Kamunyak, because she should sit right behind the leader. Juryoku Pierrot from gate 11 will likely settle in midfield, while Laughterlines and the gate 16 to 18 runners need luck from wide.
Our Queen Elizabeth II Cup 2026 Picks
Kamunyak is our win bet. After all, she has the race fitness that Juryoku Pierrot lacks, and her recent form ties in with the best older mares in Japan.
Still, we cannot leave out the Oaks winner. So we box Kamunyak and Juryoku Pierrot in the exacta.
Then for the trifecta, we add Laughterlines, Sekitoba East and Jocelyn underneath. Jocelyn is our long shot, since she ran second to Kamunyak last time and Lemaire takes the ride.
How to Bet the Queen Elizabeth II Cup
With post time at 1:40am ET on Sunday, the smart move is to set your Kyoto bets before bed on Saturday night. Check the MyWinners app for live pools and final program numbers, because the tote price settles your ticket.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
