Lush Lips proved worth every penny for Dixiana Farms
- Turf Diario
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The mare—who topped the recent Keeneland November Sale—validated every expectation by capturing the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Special to Turf Diario)—The Kentucky autumn belonged, unequivocally, to Lush Lips. Fresh off her breakthrough victory in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, the daughter of Ten Sovereigns turned heads again when she brought $3.7 million as the top-priced lot at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. And as if her résumé needed more sparkle, she returned to the track Friday and delivered once again: at Churchill Downs, the filly rewarded her new owners at Dixiana Farms with a hard-fought, high-class triumph in the GII Mrs. Revere Stakes.
Breaking from the rail with Tyler Gaffalione back aboard, Lush Lips settled immediately behind Classic Q (Classic Empire), who dictated a comfortable pace through fractions of :24, :48.46 and 1:12.21. Unhurried, the favorite advanced steadily along the inside before Gaffalione tipped her out on the final turn. She began chipping away at the margin, drawing even at the top of the lane and appearing poised to assert her superiority. But Classic Q refused to yield, forcing Lush Lips to dig in before she could wrest command.
Just when the race looked finally over, Pretty Picture (Munnings) surged on the outside with a powerful late run, injecting drama into the final yards. Lush Lips, however, held firm, crossing the wire a half-length in front, with Classic Q staying on for third, another neck back.
The winner stopped the clock in 1:41.75 for the 1700 meters over firm turf—just .02 off the stakes record—and returned $3.14 to win.
“All the credit goes to Brendan—Walsh—and his team,” said Gaffalione. “She’s an incredibly talented filly, and she showed it again. She traveled beautifully, and I was just a passenger.”
Bred in England by the Pocock family, Lush Lips began her career in Ireland for Donnacha O’Brien, carrying the colors of Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Stewart Hoffman, Paul Shanahan and M.V. Magnier. Winless upon her arrival in the U.S., she made a modest debut at Kentucky Downs before being transferred to Brendan Walsh, a move that transformed her trajectory.
Since then, she has finished first or second in eight of 11 starts, with victories in the Tepin S. (L), the GI QEII Challenge Cup, and now the GII Mrs. Revere, along with strong placings in the GI Del Mar Oaks, GII Edgewood, and GIII Florida Oaks. Her latest score pushes her earnings to $916,760.
“She’s improved all year,” Walsh said. “I’m very grateful to Dixiana Farms for keeping her in training after the sale. This was the target, and now she’ll head to Florida to prepare for her 4-year-old campaign.” The trainer closed with optimism, hopeful that the filly has more big wins ahead.
