1 of 3 | Lush Lips wins Saturday’s Group I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland

Oct. 13 (UPI) — Lush Lips kissed off some imposing competition to win the weekend’s featured race, the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland.

The QE II, always one of the year’s classiest events, headlined a program heavy on turf with Woodbine contributing several stakes on the all-weather course. And will weekend action at Newmarket in England impact the 2026 Classics there? The Breeders’ Cup? Both?

Jumping right in …

Filly & Mare Turf

Lush Lips caught pacesetting Opulent Restraint inside the furlong pole in Saturday’s $800,000 Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland, and then held off previously undefeated Laurelin by 1 1/4 lengths for the victory. Opulent Restraint finished third.

A British-bred daughter of Ten Sovereigns, Lush Lips ran 1 1/8 miles on good turf in 1:48.01 with Tyler Gaffalione at the controls for trainer Brendan Walsh.

While Laurelin had won five straight races, Lush Lips finished second in three previous graded stakes — the Grade III Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, the Grade II Edgewood at Churchill Downs and the Grade I Del Mar Oaks.

Walsh said the filly’s ability to run from off the pace “opens a big door for her, especially for next year, because we always thought this filly was going to be a good 4-year-old. It’s fantastic to win a Grade 1 with her.”

Filly & Mare Sprint

Les Reys split rivals at the top of the stretch and ran on to win Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Ontario Fashion Stakes by 3/4 length over Gal in a Rush. Both are trained by Miguel Clement, who also saddled Love Cervere to a graded stakes win Saturday at Aqueduct.

With Rafael Hernandez up, Les Reys ran 6 furlongs on the Woodbine all-weather track in 1:10.42. Les Reyes, formerly raced in France, got her second U.S. win but firsts since September 2024.

Distaff

Shotgun Wedding ran to the lead with a furlong to run in Saturday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Ontario Damsel for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine and held off Tiz Her Money to win by 3/4 length.

A Mendelssohn filly out of the Speightstown mare Reluctant Bride, Shotgun Wedding ran 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather course in 1:44.23 for jockey Keven Nicholls.

Turf

Desvio came around rivals into the stretch run in Friday’s $400,000 Grade II Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland and got home first by 1/2 length over Get Home Save.

Sent off at odds of 34-1, the 4-year-old Yoshida gelding finished the 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:29.16. John Velazquz rode for trainer Madison Meyers.

Turf Mile

Major Dude tracked the speed in Saturday’s $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct, rallied to the lead inside the furlong pole and got home first by 1 length as the odds-on favorite. The 5-year-old son of Bolt d’Oro ran 1 mile on firm going in 1:36.69 for John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher.

Turf Sprint

Love Cervere saved ground at the back of the field early in Saturday’s $175,000 Grade III Glen Cove Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct, came out for room and ran by the field to win by 1 length.

The Into Mischief miss, with Manny Franco up for trainer Miguel Clement, ran 6 furlongs of firm turf in 1:08.44, taking her fourth win from eight starts.

Time to Dazzle rallied from last of seven to win Sunday’s $400,000 Grade II Franklin Stakes for fillies and mares at Keeneland by 3 1/4 lengths over In Our Time. The favorite, Luna Louska, faded from a pace duel to report last.

Time to Dazzle continued a spectacular month for her sire, Not This Time, finishing 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:02.09. Jose Ortiz rode for trainer Mark Casse.

Juvenile Turf

Gewan, bouncing back from a disappointing fourth in his last start, got the front midway through Saturday’s Group 1 Darley Dewhurst at Newmarket and held off the favorite, Gstaad, to win by 3/4 length. Distant Storm was third in the 150th running of a race that often foreshadows the following season’s Classics.

Gewan, who outran 25-1 odds, remains an outsider for the 2026 2,000 Guineas. Gstaad remains a possibility for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Hankelow made all in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at 1 mile at Newmarket and won by 1 3/4 lengths from Al Zanati. Delacroix won this race last year as he headed for 3-year-old glory. Going 1 1/4 miles, Coolmore’s Pierre Bonnard and Endorsement finished 1-2 in the Group 3 Zetland Stakes.

Juvenile

Probably Dreaming launched a bid nearing the quarter pole in Saturday’s $100,000 Rocky Creek Stakes at Delaware Park and had things his own way thereafter, winning by 4 1/2 lengths. The Improbable colt, with Carlos Lopez in the irons, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:40.22.

Jupiter caught pacesetting Navy Street in the final yards of Sunday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Display Stakes at Woodbine and won by 1/2 length with first-time starter Baaeed Alynna a nose farther back in third.

Jupiter, an Upstart gelding trained by Mark Casse, ran 7 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:24.83.

Juvenile Fillies Turf

Precise leapfrogged her Ballydoyle stablemate Diamond Necklace in support for the 2026 1,000 Guineas with a last-to-first, tour de force victory in Friday’s Group 1 bet365 Fillies Mile at Newmarket.

The 3 1/4-length margin over her nearest pursuer came with apparent ease as the Starspangledbanner filly racked up her fourth straight win.

Diamond Necklace had held the top spot in 1,000 Guineas wagering after going 3-0 with a win in last weekend’s Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, but slipped to second with Guineas sponsor Betfred. Trainer Aidan O’Brien said neither is likely to race again this season.

Juvenile Fillies

Dazzling Dame battled for the lead most of the way in Saturday’s $100,000 White Clay Creek Stakes at Delaware Park, and then edged away to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Jumping the Gun. The Girvin filly got 1 mile on the fast track in 1:39.52.

Piper’s Gift kicked away from her rivals in the late going in Sunday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine and won by 5 1/2 lengths. The Yorkton filly finished 7 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:23.56.

Around the world, around the clock

England

Sandwiched around the 2-year-old action at Newmarket: Godolphin’s Beckford’s Folly nosed out Coolmore’s Brussels in Friday’s Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes at 5 furlongs.

Beauvatier upset Friday’s Group 2 Challenge Stakes, winning by 2 1/4 lengths from Poet Master.

On Saturday, Wathnan Racing’s Damysus outfinished Gladius in the Group 3 Darley stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Australia

Autumn Boy strode out to a 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas with the favorite, Wodeton, checking in 10th. Autumn Boy, by The Autumn Sun, was 2-for-2 in the autumn, but finished second in the Group 1 Golden Rose in his previous start.

Also Saturday at Caulfield, Globe was the best, by 3 lengths, of a four-horse field in the Sportsbet Might and Power Stakes.