Lush Lips returns victorious in Mrs Revere

Fresh off her $3.7 million sale, Lush Lips made her debut for Dixiana Farm a winning one in the Grade 2 Mrs Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs on Friday.

Settled off the pace in second by Tyler Gafflione, she made her challenge approaching the half-mile market to run down the leader Classic Q and win cosily from the fast-finishing Pretty Picture.

“She’s improved the entire year,” said trainer Brendan Walsh. “All credit to our team. I’m very thankful for the Dixiana Farms team to keep her in training. We had this race in mind after the sale. We’ll take her down to Florida after this and get her ready for her 4-year-old season.”

Lush Lips was a private purchase last year by Avenue Bloodstock on behalf of Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Mrs. M.V. Magnier. The Ten Sovereigns filly began her career with Donnacha O’Brien, for whom she was second at Tipperary. She was purchased to go to the US following that run and having joined the barn of Brendan Walsh, went on to win the Listed Tepin Stakes and run second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks prior to her breakthrough in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

It was after that performance that she sold for a sale-topping $3.7 million to Dixiana Farm at the Keeneland November Sale.

Avenue Bloodstock also purchased her full-brother for 150,000gns on behalf of Parkland Thoroughbreds at this week’s Tattersalls December Foal Sale.