It’s Lennilu by a nose in ‘thrilling Desert Vixen’

Leinster enjoyed a banner afternoon on Saturday, with Lennilu winning the $100,000 Desert Vixen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park and Triskelion finishing second in a $170,000 handicap at Kentucky Downs.

LENNILU – The filly bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon was a $23,000 OBS Winter Mixed Sale graduate. With Jonathan Ocasio in the irons, she went head-and-head with 2-1 Finding Strength for the entire six furlongs through sizzling fractions of :22.15, :45.50 and :57.87, and with track announcer Peter Aiello bellowing “a thrilling Desert Vixen,” Lennilu prevailed by a nose in a stakes-record 1:10.72. She paid $4.80 and collected a check for $60,000, ballooning her total to $163,289 on a stellar record of 3-0-1 in four starts.

TRISKELION – The $75,000 FTK July yearling stalked the early pace in third in the maiden special at 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf, then closed well to get the runner-up spot and earn a check for $18,000. With a third at Ellis Park in her debut, she’s collected $22,933 in two starts.