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 \n <\/p>\n
Oct. 13 (UPI) — Lush Lips kissed off some imposing competition to win the weekend’s featured race, the Grade I Queen Elizabeth<\/a> II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland.<\/p>\n 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?\n<\/p>\n Jumping right in …\n<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\n<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\n<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and trainer Todd Pletcher<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\n<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> rode for trainer Mark Casse<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\n<\/p>\n 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<\/a> in the irons, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:40.22.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Jupiter, an Upstart gelding trained by Mark Casse, ran 7 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:24.83.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The 3 1\/4-length margin over her nearest pursuer came with apparent ease as the Starspangledbanner filly racked up her fourth straight win.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n