Lush Lips surges late to win Honey Fox
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After winning two stakes earlier on the card with horses who were at double-digit odds, trainer Brendan Walsh had a little pressure on him when he sent out the favorite Lush Lips in the Grade 3, $150,000 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
But the Lush Lips who finished her 3-year-old campaign with two stakes wins, including the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, kicked off what could be a big 4-year-old year with a late-running three-quarter-length victory over Classic Q in the Honey Fox.
“That was fantastic. It’s just want you’d want to see for a filly coming back like her,” Walsh said. “I thought she was impressive. That was a good race. There were two fillies in there that ran well in the Pegasus [Filly and Mare Turf], so it was a pretty good race. I think she did it very well and I think it was important she had a good experience today off the layoff, and I thought it was great.”
Under Tyler Gaffalione, Lush Lips raced in fifth position down the backside while Classic Q, under John Velazquez, set fractions of 23.79 seconds for the quarter-mile, 48.18 for the half, and 1:11.12 for six furlongs.
Lush Lips came with a wide rally, and though Classic Q was not stopping, Lush Lips caught and passed her late. Lush Lips, a 4-year-old Great Britain-bred daughter of Ten Sovereigns owned by Dixiana Farm, covered the mile in 1:33.71 (95 Beyer Speed Figure) and returned $5.40 as the favorite.
“She’s such a tremendous filly. I just feel so honored to be able to guide her around there,” Gaffalione said. “She’s really come into this year in great form. She’s learned to relax. She’s put it all together. I think we’re looking at a big year here.”
Lush Lips added to Walsh’s bounty of stakes success Saturday at Gulfstream. Walsh won the $175,000 Colonel Liam with Vasy ($19.40) and the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride with Lion Lake ($24.40). He almost won a fourth race, but his 3-year-old maiden Royal Crescent got beat a nose by Steel.
"Typical me, being greedy, we should have won four,” Walsh said.
Lush Lips will head to Keeneland and point to the Grade Jenny Wiley on April 11.
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