Lennilu (Leinster), who beat both Kadabra (Good Magic) and Chambourcin (Copper Bullet), both return winners in recent days, in her Apr. 6 Keeneland slop debut took another step forward in her stakes debut over this turf course. Partnered by Luis Saez, she bumped into Satisfied Mind (First Samurai) leaving the gate before forcing the pace in the early stages. The 4-5 favorite in a field of 11 took over from Satisfied Mind turning for home and readily kicked clear from the rallying debutante Bibi Dahl to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths. By winning this, she punched a ticket to her connections choice of six juvenile races at June's Royal Ascot Meeting. Her automatic berth includes a $25,000 travel stipend.
“Luis loved her from the day he rode her at Keeneland. He said he wanted to ride her at Ascot and I said, 'Easy, we have to do one stop at Gulfstream first,'” said winning trainer Patrick Biancone. “She's a machine. She's very relaxed. She traveled to Keeneland, it was bad weather. She shed-rowed two days, jogged one day and ran like a monster. The father [Leinster] was a very good sprinter on turf so I had a lot of confidence in her coming into this race. The plan all along was to get to Ascot. That's why so many partners joined in for that trip.”
Saez added: “She's a very nice filly. She broke from there well [and] put herself in a good position. At the top of the stretch she was a little green first time on turf, but she's got a lot of ability. I had a lot of horse at the end. I was pretty confident after I rode at Keeneland. She won that race very professionally. I had a lot of horse left that day, too. Now I'm looking forward to going to Ascot. That's why we came here today.”
Lennilu, along with the colt Squire, is one of two early season winners and the first stakes winner for her freshman sire Leinster (Majestic Warrior), who set the course record over 5 1/2 furlongs on the Keeneland turf when taking the 2020 GII Shakertown Stakes. Later that season, Leinster finished third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Squire, victorious in an Apr. 18 maiden here on the main track, lines up in the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes later on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card. Lennilu's winning dam is a half-sister to Disco Partner (Disco Rico), MGSW, $1,487,560. Lulu's Pom Pom is yet to produce a foal since Lennilu and was bred to Magic On Tap for this term.
ROYAL PALM JUVENILE FILLIES S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 5-10, 2yo, f, 5fT, :56.99, fm.
1–LENNILU, 121, f, 2, by Leinster
1st Dam: Lulu's Pom Pom, by Pomeroy
2nd Dam: Lulu's Number, by Numerous
3rd Dam: Mary Lou's Magic, by Concorde's Tune
($23,000 Ylg '24 OBSWIN). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Amy &
Caitlin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family
Racing LLC, Tranquility Lake Farm LLC, Maury & Christopher K.
Harrington; B-Helen & Joseph Barbazon (FL); T-Patrick L.
Biancone; J-Luis Saez. $47,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$81,615.
2–Bibi Dahl, 118, f, 2, American Pharoah–Just Louise, by Five
Star Day. ($1,350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Amo Racing USA; B-Springhouse Farm (KY); T-Jorge Delgado.
$20,900.
3–Strada Del Sogno, 118, f, 2, Street Boss–Line Up, by Violence.
($25,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sport of Kings
Racing Partners LLC & Nelson Soracco; B-Joe B. Mulholland Jr.,
John P. Mulholland & Karen Mulholland (KY); T-Tareq
Moubarak. $11,400.
Margins: 3 3/4, 5 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.80, 7.20, 90.20.
Also Ran: Authentic Guitar, Bohemian, Royal Testament, Kitty Cleo (Ire), Le Sunshine, Divinely Inspired, Satisfied Mind, Just a Little Bit. Scratched: Emerald Ember, Nonna's Love, Rumpus in Paradise. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
LENNILU ($3.60) won with ease in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies Stakes at @GulfstreamPark. She stamped her ticket to @Ascot for trainer Patrick Biancone (@andie_biancone) and jockey @luissaezpty. Congrats to the connections of the 2YO Leinster (@PleasantAcresSt) filly. pic.twitter.com/MNYQ2a43GL
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 10, 2025
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