Red-hot Walsh enters three in Dowager

Today’s Keeneland media update by the track’s publicity team (Kevin Kilroy photo of Spanish Eyes at Colonial Downs, where she finished second to Charlene’s Dream in the G2 Beverly D)

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• RED-HOT WALSH ENTERS TRIO FOR ROOD & RIDDLE DOWAGER
• LUSH LIPS (GB) ENDS QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP JINX FOR HORGAN
• WEST OPENS TURF OPTION FOR CHUNK OF GOLD
• WORK TAB
• FALL MEET LEADERS

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RED-HOT WALSH ENTERS TRIO FOR ROOD & RIDDLE DOWAGER

Brendan Walsh, who has seven victories to lead the trainer standings nearing the halfway mark of the 17-day Keeneland Fall Meet, dropped three names into the entry box Sunday morning for next Sunday’s 34th running of the $350,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) for fillies and mares going 1½ miles on the grass.

Walsh, who won the race in 2022 with Temple City Terror, will send out Spanish Eyes (GER) for Qatar Racing and Michaela Faust; Venencia (FR) for a partnership headed by Bradley Thoroughbreds; and Bless My Stars (SAF) for Team Valor International and Gary Barber.

The field for the Rood & Riddle Dowager, with trainers, riders and weights from the rail out, is:

LUSH LIPS (GB) ENDS QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP
JINX FOR HORGAN

There were a lot of smiles Saturday afternoon around the Brendan Walsh barn after Lush Lips (GB) delivered a 1¼-length victory in the $800,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana.

One of the brightest belonged to veteran exercise rider Roger Horgan, who had partnered Lush Lips here in the morning after she arrived early last week from Turfway Park.

“This has been a jinx race for me,” Horgan said Sunday morning. “I was here (in 2011) with Winter Memories for Jimmy Toner, and she was fourth as a big favorite, and then with Kiaran (McLaughlin) when he had Sentiero Italia, and she ran third as the odds-on favorite (in 2015).”

Owned by the partnership of Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Mrs. M.V. Magnier, Lush Lips registered her first graded stakes victory Saturday after several near misses.

“I had a quiet confidence all week,” Horgan said. “When they feel like that (in the morning), it gives you confidence. Hats off to the boss for pulling it off.”

According to Walsh assistant Paul Madden, Lush Lips likely would return to Turfway Park the middle of the coming week.

WEST OPENS TURF OPTION FOR CHUNK OF GOLD

Terry Stephens’ popular Chunk of Gold has compiled a solid resume with his lone off-the-board finish in eight starts coming with a ninth-place showing in the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve in May.

On Saturday morning, the West Virginia Derby (G3) winner had a test run over the Keeneland turf course going a half-mile in :50.20.

“There are not a lot of races for straight 3-year-olds left this year, and this is an experiment,” trainer Ethan West said Sunday morning. “Hopefully I can get him in an allowance race or the ($600,000) Bryan Station (G3).”

The Bryan Station, contested at a mile on the turf, is one of three stakes to be run on the Oct. 25 closing day of the Fall Meet.

Runner-up in the Risen Star (G2), the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and the Ohio Derby (G3) as well as two other stakes, Chunk of Gold has earned $730,800 in 2025. Should he go in the Bryan Station and win, he would close in on millionaire status.

“The plan is to bring him back as a 4-year-old,” West said. “After this, we will give him a break and freshen him up for next year.”

WORK TAB

WinStar Farm, CHC Inc. and Cold Press Racing’s Tappan Street, the only horse to defeat Sovereignty this year, had his second Keeneland work since rejoining trainer Brad Cox’s barn at the first of the month. Working at 7:30 a.m., Tappan Street was timed in :51.60 for a half-mile.

Winner of Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, Tappan Street was sidelined a week before the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve.

Tappan Street had two works at WinStar prior to coming to Keeneland, where he worked a half-mile last Sunday, Oct. 5 in :50. …

Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables’ Way to Be Marie, a candidate for the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), worked a half-mile on the main track in :50.80 for trainer Rob Atras.

FALL MEET LEADERS

Through Oct. 11 (7 days of 17-day season)