Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: Lennilu punches her ticket with Hollywood Beach win
?q=100)
Three key preps for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will take place around the country this weekend, and meanwhile, an international contingent also is preparing to depart for Del Mar. But with plenty of moving parts, one of the top choices for the newest race on the block already appears clear.
Florida-bred Lennilu has won four of her five career starts – and in her only loss, turned in a stellar effort at the Royal Ascot meeting. Most recently, Lennilu won by 1 3/4 lengths, going away, in the Hollywood Beach Stakes last Saturday on the Gulfstream Park turf. Trainer Patrick Biancone, seeking his first Breeders’ Cup win, told Gulfstream the filly was “perfect” after the effort and described her as “a monster.”
Lennilu is from the first crop of talented turf sprinter Leinster, who raced for Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables, and Jean Wilkinson. His four career graded stakes wins included the Grade 2 Shakertown in 2020 at Keeneland, where he sizzled the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in a course-record 1:00.86 that still stands. He also finished third in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, beaten a length.
Leinster, by Majestic Warrior, now stands at Joe and Helen Barbazon’s Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida and shares connections with his standout daughter. The Barbazons bred Lennilu, who now races for Amy and Caitlin Dunne, Miley, Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing, Tranquility Lake Farms, Maury Hamilton, and Christopher Harrington.
ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save big.
Lennilu began her career winning on sloppy Keeneland dirt, then moved to turf to win the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream, earning a trip to Royal Ascot. She finished third in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes on June 18, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. The winner, True Love, has subsequently won the Group 1 Cheveley Park and Group 2 Railway and finished second in the Group 1 Phoenix.
Lennilu was given plenty of time after her trip, with an eye toward having her fresh and ready for a fall campaign culminating in the Breeders’ Cup. In her return on Sept. 6, she won the nod for a game nose score in the FTBOA Florida Sires Desert Vixen on dirt.
“She has the attitude of a good horse,” Biancone said. “She doesn’t want to get beat.”
The Desert Vixen sharpened Lennilu for the Hollywood Beach, and she will make the third start off her summer break in the Breeders’ Cup. She is scheduled to fly to California the week before the race.
When Lennilu ships in, she will join 2-year-olds converging from all corners. The two Breeders’ Cup Challenge races for this division to date were both European events – the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot, won by Charles Darwin, who has yet to run back; and the Group 3 Molecomb in July at Goodwood, won by Lady Iman, who was well beaten in two subsequent outings, albiet one against older horses. The remaining Win and You’re In is the Grade 3 Futurity on Friday at Aqueduct, but also producing significant runners should be the Speakeasy on Saturday at Santa Anita and the Indian Summer on Sunday at Keeneland.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.