Lush Lips

A few weeks removed from having topped this year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on a bid of $3.7 million from Bill Shiveley's Dixiana Farms, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) pounced on long-time leader Classic Q (Classic Empire) with less than a furlong to race in Friday's GII Mrs. Revere Stakes and held off a late surge from East Coast raider Pretty Picture (Munnings) by a long neck as the heavy 1-2 favorite. Exiting a victory in Keeneland's Oct. 11 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup about 70 miles...

If Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls was all about Dragon Symbol, then Wednesday was the day that the young upstart received a sharp warning should he wish to assume the throne as Whitsbury Manor Stud kingpin, with the present incumbent, Havana Grey, taking his turn to play the starring role on a day of fierce trade at Park Paddocks. By the close of play, Havana Grey accounted for five of the day's top 18 lots, headlined by lot 650 from the Whitsbury Manor draft. The...

$3.7-Million Lush Lips Tops Book 1 by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, & Alan Carasso LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale blitzed through its opening session Tuesday with 17 offerings--including a pair of weanlings--selling for $1 million or more and figures up dramatically from the auction's Book 1 session in 2024. "It was a really strong day," said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. "The broodmare market was very, very strong. We had 15 who brought $1 million or more, seven of those brought $2 million or more. The weanling...

Undefeated no more. Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) inherited a late lead and held off a closing charge from the previously-undefeated Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) to claim her first Grade I win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland Saturday. It was redemption in a way for a filly who took a chance in California last out, shipping from Churchill Downs to wind up just a half-length back of Velocity (Nyquist) in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 16. Finally in a race without the...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sigh No More in the Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth. Boiling Springs Stakes To Sigh No More Heider Family Stables' Sigh No More ran out a 1 1/2-length winner of Monmouth Park's Boiling Springs Stakes at the end of last month (video). Conditioned by Brendan Walsh, the daughter of Starspangledbanner was making her second US start. Bred by Barronstown Stud out of the...

Second to Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the both the GIII Florida Oaks and the GII Edgewood Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in her last two starts, Lush Lips (GB) finally broke through to the win Saturday in the Tepin Stakes at the mile at Churchill Downs. Shortened up for the first time since she made her North American debut a the mile at Kentucky Downs last summer, the 8-5 favorite had shown early speed in all of her prior races bar two but was relegated back in this spot to...

Four weeks removed from the running of the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs stages its second stacked weekend of the spring/summer meeting, with five Grade IIIs and one listed contest on 'Stephen Foster Preview' Day. The program serves as a steppingstone to Foster Day itself in a month's time. A field of 10 has been entered for the GIII Blame Stakes, the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Gary and Mary...