Homecoming Queen (horse)

Homecoming Queen was highly tried as a two-year-old, running eleven times. Racing in modest company, she lost her first seven races before winning a Nursery handicap race at Fairyhouse Racecourse in September.[1] She then finished second in the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes before winning the Listed Lanwades and Staffordstown Studs Stakes at the Curragh.[2] On her final start of the season she was sent to Churchill Downs to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in which she finished tailed off in last place behind My Miss Aurelia.

On her three-year-old debut, Homecoming Queen finished unplaced in the Park Express Stakes at the Curragh on 25 March. In the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial in April, Homecoming Queen led from the start and recorded her first Group Race win when beating Fire Lily by a neck.[3] She was then sent to Newmarket on 6 May for the 1000 Guineas in which she started a 25/1 outsider and was regarded as a pacemaker for her better fancied stable companion Maybe, who started 13/8 favourite. Ridden by Ryan L. Moore, Homecoming Queen broke quickly and soon established a clear lead over the rest of the field. She was never seriously challenged and won very easily by nine lengths, the biggest winning margin since 1859.[4] Three weeks after her win at Newmarket, Homecoming Queen started favourite for the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on much firmer ground but finished fourth of the eight runners behind the English-trained filly Samitar, having led until the final furlong.

At Royal Ascot in June, Homecoming Queen contested the Coronation Stakes. Racing on soft ground started 9/4 favourite in a field of ten fillies. Homecoming Queen led the race until the straight but weakened in the closing stages and finished eighth behind Fallen For You. In July it was announced that the filly was to be retired from racing. O'Brien said that "she was a brilliant filly and her performance at Newmarket was very special. She has a wonderful pedigree and did us all proud."[5]