Lyudmila (Gun Runner), a $1-million Keeneland September yearling purchase by Edward Seltzer's Stonebase LLC, won for fun in her Laurel Park unveiling Friday.
After being pinched back at the start, the 5-2 chance raced in fourth through an opening quarter in :22.33, began to launch while three wide at the top of the stretch and kicked on in the lane to graduate by six lengths over favored Juniper's Jubilee (Honor A. P.).
Hailing from a deep Edward Seltzer family, the winner's dam Lucrezia (Into Mischief) is also represented by a yearling colt by Flightline ($575,000 KEENOV purchase by Classic Equine) and a Curlin colt ($320,000 KEENOV purchase by Repole Stable) of this year. She was bred back to City of Light.
Edward and Beverly Seltzer bred Lyudmila in Kentucky.
“For the million dollars, Mr. Seltzer was dissolving a partnership,” winning trainer Justin Nixon explained. “He had to put everything through the Keeneland sale, and he was obviously very keen to get her back because he has lots of the family.”
“I thought she had some talent,” Nixon continued. “It's just nice to see that she lived up to what I thought she could do.”
6th-Laurel, $49,410, Msw, 11-21, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.36, gd, 6 lengths.
LYUDMILA (f, 2, Gun Runner–Lucrezia {MSW & GSP, $219,640}, by Into Mischief) Sales history: $1,000,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Stonebase LLC; B-Edward & Beverly Seltzer (KY); T-Justin J. Nixon.
Lyudmila ($7), a $1 million dollar yearling by Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys), rallied from off to pace to win her debut by 6 in the sixth @LaurelPark for @jjnixonian.
9-11-6-1 pic.twitter.com/HTfppkK0uZ— Dan Illman (@DanIllman_MJC) November 21, 2025
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