1st-Churchill Downs, $113,925, Msw, 6-6, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.09, ft, head.
LILIES N PARADISE (f, 2, Maxfield–Why Oh You, by Yes It's True) was shoved across the line by Edgar Morales to become the second winner from the first crop to the races for her promising young sire (by Street Sense) in the Friday opener at Churchill Downs. Off only fairly from the three hole, the bay filly was hustled along to keep tabs on the leading trio, including Lael Stables' well-backed Pulstar (Kantharos), who made the running three off the inside going into the turn. Morales elected to chase that rival approaching the stretch and the rider had plenty of horse beneath him when he asked her to accelerate three or four deep leaving the quarter pole. Edging to her inside despite being ridden left-handed into the final eighth of a mile, Lilies N Paradise was rebalanced, came after the front-runner with time ticking away and was home about a head to the good at odds of 9-1. A P Sweetheart (American Pharoah) rallied nicely for third, while the fourth-placed Muriel Sax (Code of Honor) caught the leaders with a strong gallop-out into the turn. A $200,000 Keeneland September yearling, Lilies N Paradise was hammered down for that same amount after breezing a quarter-mile in :21 flat at this year's OBS April Sale. A half-sister to the Grade II-placed Electric Ride (Daredevil), a yearling filly by Jackie's Warrior and a colt foal by Forte, Lilies N Paradise is the third winner from as many to race from a half-sister to SW Amapola (Broken Vow). Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Paradise Farms Corp & Case Chambers; B-St Simon Place (KY); T-Michael J Maker.
Lillies N Paradise ($20.46) breaks her maiden on debut in the Friday opener @ChurchillDowns for trainer Mike Maker.
The 2-year-old filly by @DarleyAmerica Stallion Maxfield was ridden to victory by jockey Edgar Morales.
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— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 6, 2025
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