Opulent Restraint

Undefeated no more. Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) inherited a late lead and held off a closing charge from the previously-undefeated Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) to claim her first Grade I win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland Saturday. It was redemption in a way for a filly who took a chance in California last out, shipping from Churchill Downs to wind up just a half-length back of Velocity (Nyquist) in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 16. Finally in a race without the...

Newstead Stables LLC's Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) looks to take her career mark to a perfect six wins from as many starts when she faces a maximum of eight fellow sophomore fillies in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, the year's most prestigious race for the division. Graham Motion sent out Film Maker (Dynaformer) to take the 2003 QE II and Laurelin figures a strong chance to double that tally. An €160,000 purchase out of the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, the chestnut has built on a two-for-two...

The cars scooting along on the nearby Pennsylvania Turnpike may have little from a speed standpoint on Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby in Northeast Philly, as the pace looks to be very much on and that could help those with stalking or closing ability in the final age-restricted Grade I of the season around two turns. But make no mistake: speed has been king--by and large--in the $1-million contest over the past dozen years or so. The Bob Baffert-trained Bayern (Offlee Wild)--next-out winner of a much-discussed GI Breeders' Cup Classic--future champion...

by Stefanie Grimm & Alan Carasso For the first time in it's 24-year history, Virginia's Colonial Downs will play host to a Kentucky Derby winner as 2024 winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) will make his turf debut in Saturday's 1 1/4-mile GI Arlington Million. Trainer Kenny McPeek has had his eye on the turf for his Derby winner for quite some time, telling the TDN this week that the idea had been on his mind for at least a year. "It was kind of an audible at the line of scrimmage,"...

A well-bred daughter of Dubawi (Ire), Opulent Restraint donned cap and gown at second asking upstate Sept. 1. The gray was well-backed by the public here at 75 cents on the dollar. Settling at the rear of the field into the first turn with Rare Art (Munnings), the filly was on hold up the backstretch, but started to get underway before the top of the lane. Shifting into high gear in the three path, the juvenile took command with a furlong left and despite a challenge from her rival Rare...