Elite Fillies Gear Up for Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
In anticipation of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, two formidable contenders, Expensive Queen and Lush Lips, engaged in their final preparations with rigorous training sessions at Keeneland. Under the guidance of trainer Brendan Walsh, these fillies demonstrated their peak condition and determination, signaling their readiness to compete for glory in Saturday's highly anticipated event.
Expensive Queen, a five-year-old mare, completed a swift three-furlong drill on the turf, clocking in at 38.8 seconds. Her stablemate, the four-year-old Lush Lips, followed suit with an even quicker run, finishing the same distance in 38.2 seconds. These precise workouts underscore their trainers' confidence and strategic planning for the upcoming championship.
Both mares recently participated in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes at Keeneland. In that race, Lush Lips secured a commendable second-place finish, while Expensive Queen placed sixth. Prior to the First Lady, Expensive Queen had enjoyed a remarkable three-race winning streak, which included a victory in the prestigious Jenny Wiley (G1). Her consistent performance in top-tier races highlights her competitive spirit and proven ability.
For Lush Lips, the First Lady marked her second consecutive runner-up finish, following a six-month hiatus from racing. Earlier in the year, she triumphed in the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream. Since breaking her maiden in 2024, Lush Lips has consistently placed no worse than second, demonstrating her exceptional talent and reliability on the track. Their recent training sessions confirm their readiness to contend for the coveted Breeders' Cup title, promising an exciting and competitive race on Saturday.
Adding to the anticipation for the Breeders' Cup, a total of nine graded-stakes winners, including Expensive Queen and Lush Lips, had published workouts on Tuesday. Among them, Iron Orchard, a Grade 1 winner of the 2025 Frizette, completed a five-furlong workout at Churchill Downs. T O Elvis, a Grade 1 winner of the 2026 Churchill Downs Stakes, and Muhimma, a Grade 2 winner of the 2024 Demoiselle, also fine-tuned their preparations. Other notable participants included Surface to Air, a two-time Grade 3 winner; Alogon, a Grade 3 winner of the 2025 Belmont Turf Sprint; Bizzee Channel, a Grade 3 winner of the 2021 Arlington Stakes; and That's Right, a Grade 3 winner of the 2022 Turf Monster. These concurrent workouts across various tracks indicate a robust field of contenders all aiming for peak performance at the Breeders' Cup.