Lush Lips Kisses Victory in QEII Challenge Cup

Keeping top company across the country throughout her 3-year-old season, Lush Lips (GB) had yet to earn her signature victory. That changed Oct. 11 when her year's worth of work culminated in an eye-catching triumph in the $665,300 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. Her trainer Brendan Walsh and his team have been red hot to start the Keeneland meet. During Fall Stars Weekend Oct. 3-5, Walsh took home five victories and two graded stakes: the Spinster Stakes (G1) with Gin Gin and Jessamine Stakes (G2T) with Imaginationthelady. "It's been great," Walsh said of the meet as he stood in Keeneland's new stakes winner's circle for a third time. "It's a huge meet, as we all know. For us, being based in Kentucky, to do this is fantastic. All credit to my team. They work hard throughout the year. To have this at the end of the year, it's a tribute to them as much as anything." Both of those victories rewarded Walsh's backers at the betting windows handsomely, and they were again rewarded Saturday as the daughter of Ten Sovereigns (IRE) paid $19.22. The victory was no surprise to Walsh or any of the large and joyous group in the winner's circle that represented Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Susan Magnier. Bred in Great Britain by the Pocock Family, Lush Lips made her first two starts in Ireland before transferring to Walsh's barn in the fall of her 2-year-old season. Finishing ninth in her American debut, she has never placed outside the exacta in seven starts since while bumping her career earnings to $769,510. Her first two attempts in stakes company this spring resulted in runner-up finishes to Nitrogen, a leading contender for Eclipse honors as champion 3-year-old filly. Free from her foe, she conquered the Tepin Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs before shipping west and giving a valiant effort to finish second, beaten a half-length, to Velocity in the Aug. 16 Del Mar Oaks (G1T). Jockey Tyler Gaffalione rode the filly in her allowance victory and Florida Oaks (G3T) second-place finish this winter, but missed her starts in May's Edgewood Stakes (G2T) and the Tepin with an injury. Since returning to her saddle for the Del Mar Oaks, he's seen a vast improvement. "She's maturing," Gaffalione said. "She's much more confident in herself and her ability. She's grown; she looks fabulous. I'm really happy with the progression she's made." That maturity was exactly what she needed in the QEII as Gaffalione executed the plan he and Walsh set up the night before. Popping out of her rail position running, Gaffalione established a stalking position just behind the pacesetter, Opulent Restraint (IRE). Chasing fractions of :23.23, :47.70, and 1:12.08, Gaffalione had Luis Saez and Opulent Restraint when he wanted them as he pushed past approaching the eighth pole. The undefeated Laurelin (IRE), who was two lengths behind Lush Lips after a half-mile, was gaining steam in the stretch, but Lush Lips was moving too strongly. Across the wire, she maintained a 1 1/4-length advantage while completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.01. Opulent Restraint held third while Fionn, the 3-2 favorite, closed from last to finish fourth. "Everything went beautifully," Gaffalione said. "She popped out of there nice, got a great spot behind the leader. She relaxed perfect. When I asked her, she really turned on nicely. Credit to Brendan and his team, they've done a fabulous job with her. She's made progress throughout the year, learning to relax, and she really put it all together here." Walsh echoed Gaffalione's praise on how the filly has progressed throughout the season. "It's an accumulation of everything that went on during the year," Walsh said. "She's relaxed a lot more and done really well. She settled beautifully today. She's just gone from strength to strength. Physically, you can see it where she's gotten stronger. It's just all come together really well." The remainder of Lush Lips' season is yet to be determined, but is unlikely to include a three-week turnaround for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar Nov. 1. In addition to the quick comeback, Walsh mentioned the 1 3/8-mile distance perhaps being a bit too long. However, the connections are in no rush to finish savoring the experience of winning a grade 1 at Keeneland, especially Medallion Racing's racing manager, Phillip Shelton. "I think my parents didn't bring me opening weekend because it was going to be too crowded," Shelton told Keeneland publicity. "But this (Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup) was the one race we had to come to every year. If you'd have said, 'Pick any race the partnership could win,' it would be this one here at Keeneland. The (credit) goes to Brendan and his team and the filly. She's just got a ton of heart, and we're very lucky."