Grade 1-Winning Mares on Offer at Keeneland Nov. Sale

Book 1 of Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale kicks off Nov 4. in Lexington with three grade 1-winning mares on offer—Kilwin, Lush Lips (GB) and Vahva. All three mares are offered as racing or broodmare prospects. Vahva, the 5-year-old daughter of Gun Runner, is the most accomplished of the trio—based on wins and earnings. The hard-knocking mare has hit the board in 16 of her 20 career starts, amassing earnings of $2,289,010. Trained by Cherie Devaux for owners Belladonna Racing, Edward Hudson Jr., Lynne Hudson, West Point Thoroughbreds, Twin Brook Stables, Bill Farish, LBD Stable, Runnels Racing, and Manganaro Bloodstock, the mare's most notable win came in the 2024 Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. She most recently ran a gallant second in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar behind Splendora. "She's a model of consistency," said Keeneland's vice president of sales Tony Lacy. "She's by Gun Runner out of a Harlan's Holiday mare that I actually as Four Star (Sales) sold Holiday Soiree. She was just a really genuine filly. So I've got a soft spot for her (Vahva). "They (West Point Thoroughbreds) bought her at Keeneland, trained her at Keeneland. The partnership has been very supportive of Keeneland, and we've enjoyed the partnership Belladonna growing and getting stronger. Partnerships are the future of the industry, and they've been a great example of what works. Cherie (Devaux) has managed her perfectly." Vahva was purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $280,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2021. She was bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds and is out of the grade 1-placed mare Holiday Soiree, making her a half sister to Ahava and Signal From Noise, both of which are graded stakes placed. Vahva is consigned as Hip 187 by Lane's End Agent. "It's a great opportunity for a beautiful mare, a grade 1 winner, tough as nails," Lacy said of Vahva. "That's the trait that a lot of breeders want is the character and the toughness and obviously class that they put into their progeny. I think she brings all of those attributes to the table." Another filly who will make her second trip through the Keeneland sales ring is Test Stakes (G1) winner Kilwin. The millionaire daughter of Twirling Candy has shown her grit and versatility with stakes wins on both the turf and the dirt for trainer Rusty Arnold and owners BBN Racing. She was bred by Gilder-Schwarz Farm and picked up by BBN Racing at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $225,000. She is out of the Blame mare Spanish Star, who has produced four horses of racing age, all winners, including graded stakes winner and earner of over $1 million One Timer and the grade 1-placed Just Basking. Kilwin will be consigned as Hip 223, by Royal Oak Farm (Damian and Braxton Lynch), agent for BBN Racing. "(Kilwin) has been a wonderful race filly for BBN, what a fun group they are," Lacy said. "Braxton (Lynch) and Brian Klatsky, they've done an amazing job managing her, and it's been fun to watch." Kilwin's victory in the Test Stakes proved her determination and ability. Going to her knees and trailing the field at the start of the race, Kilwin swung four-wide in the upper stretch to put in a determined bid to nail Ragtime at the wire to win by a neck. "She brings a lot of attributes to the table—the classic toughness, the genuine. She's only gotten better as she's gotten older. She shows that she is quality all the way and so versatile. She does everything. She's rolled up her sleeves, she's come to work every day, and she's rarely disappointed. She's a true blue." Although Lush Lips did not start her career at Keeneland, the biggest success of her racing career came at the track when she won the Queen Elizabeth ll Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) Oct. 11. The daughter of top sire Ten Sovereigns (IRE) flourished as a 3-year-old under the care of trainer Brendan Walsh, never finishing worse than second in five consecutive stakes. Her ownership group includes Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Mrs. M.V. Magnier. "She's been fantastic since she's come over to the States," Lacy said. "She's just taken off for another syndicate—Medallion Racing and all their partners. For her to win at Keeneland during the meet, what a great story. A filly that is young, has a future ahead of her, plenty of race left in her. She's showing that she's improving all the time." Lush Lips was bred in England by The Pocock Family and purchased as a yearling by Avenue Bloodstock, Medallion Racing, and Donnacha O'Brien for $103,340 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale in 2023. "Medallion are the ones that bought her in Europe and trained her over there and saw the opportunity for her to be well-suited to the States, and she's been that and plenty more. "She's by Ten Sovereigns; obviously, that's a Scat Daddy line. She brings that genetic line to the table. She provides the future buyer with a multitude of options from the racing side of things over the next couple of years, and then obviously could look forward to a great breeding career when she's retired."