Keeping top company across the country throughout her 3-year-old season, Lush Lips had yet to earn her signature victory until that changed when her year's worth of work culminated in an eye-catching triumph in the $665,300 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes presented by Dixiana Oct. 11 at Keeneland.

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Lush Lips' trainer, Brendan Walsh, and his team have been red hot to start the Keeneland meet. During Fall Stars Weekend Oct. 3-5, Walsh took home five victories and two graded stakes including the Grade 1 the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes with Gin Gin and the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales with Imaginationthelady.

"It's been great," Walsh said of the meet as he stood in Keeneland's new stakes winner's circle for a third time. "It's a huge meet, as we all know. For us, being based in Kentucky, to do this is fantastic. All credit to my team. They work hard throughout the year. To have this at the end of the year, it's a tribute to them as much as anything."

The daughter of sire Ten Sovereigns was sent off as the fourth choice on the tote board and paid $19.22 to win.

Bred in Great Britain, Lush Lips made her first two starts in Ireland before transferring to Walsh's barn in the fall of her 2-year-old season. After finishing ninth in her American debut, she has never again placed outside the exacta in her most recent seven starts. The QEII Cup victory bumped up her career earnings to $769,510.

Lush Lips' first two attempts in stakes company this spring resulted in runner-up finishes to Nitrogen, a leading contender for Eclipse honors as champion 3-year-old filly. Free from that nemesis, she conquered the Tepin Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs before shipping west and giving a valiant effort to finish second, beaten a half-length to Velocity in the Aug. 16 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks presented by Keeneland Sales.

Lush Lips. (Coady Media)

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione rode Lush Lips earlier this season. Since returning to her saddle for the Del Mar Oaks he's noted a vast improvement.

"She's maturing," Gaffalione said. "She's much more confident in herself and her ability. She's grown. She looks fabulous. I'm really happy with the progression she's made."

That maturity was exactly what she needed in the QEII as Gaffalione executed the plan he and Walsh set up the night before. Popping out of her rail position running, Gaffalione established a stalking position just behind pacesetter Opulent Restraint. Chasing fractions of :23.23, :47.70, and 1:12.08, Gaffalione pushed past Opulent Restraint approaching the eighth pole.

The previously undefeated Laurelin, who was two lengths behind Lush Lips after a half mile, was gaining steam in the stretch, but Lush Lips was moving too strongly. She crossed the wire with a 1 1/4-length advantage while completing 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:48.01. Laurelin finished second and Opulent Restraint held third. Fionn, the 3-2 favorite, closed from last to finish fourth.

"Everything went beautifully," Gaffalione said. "She popped out of there nice, got a great spot behind the leader. She relaxed perfect. When I asked her, she really turned on nicely. Credit to Brendan and his team, they've done a fabulous job with her. She's made progress throughout the year, learning to relax, and she really put it all together here."

Lush Lips. (Coady Media)

Walsh echoed Gaffalione's praise on how the filly has progressed throughout the season.

"It's an accumulation of everything that went on during the year," Walsh said. "She's relaxed a lot more and done really well. She settled beautifully today. She's just gone from strength to strength. Physically, you can see it where she's gotten stronger. It's just all come together really well."

The remainder of Lush Lips' season is yet to be determined but is unlikely to include a three-week turnaround for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar Nov. 1. In addition to the quick comeback, Walsh mentioned the 1 3/8-mile Breeders’ Cup distance perhaps being a bit too long.

The victory seemed like no surprise to any of the large and joyous group in the winner's circle that represented owners Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Susan Magnier. However, the connections are in no rush to finish savoring the experience of winning a Grade 1 at Keeneland, especially Medallion Racing's racing manager, Phillip Shelton.

"If you'd have said, 'Pick any race the partnership could win,' it would be this one here at Keeneland," Shelton said. “The (credit) goes to Brendan and his team and the filly. She's just got a ton of heart, and we're very lucky."