Royal Ascot: 2-year-old Lennilu works toward Queen Mary

Photo: Gulfstream Park / Lauren King

Undefeated Lennilu breezed a half-mile Sunday morning at Palm Meadows in preparation for a start in the Group 2 Queen Mary on June 18 at Royal Ascot.

The Patrick Biancone-trained 2-year-old filly, who earned her trip to Great Britain with a victory in the May 10 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream, was timed in 50.25 seconds for her maintenance work at Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

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“She’s perfect,” Biancone said. “I am very happy with her. She’s ready to go.”

Lennilu, who is owned by Amy Dunne, Caitlin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing, Tranquility Lake Farm, Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington, is scheduled for a trans-Atlantic flight to Great Britain on Tuesday.

The daughter of Leinster collected a $25,000 travel stipend and a berth in one of six stakes for juveniles during the Royal Ascot meeting with her length triumph in the five-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. Her connections have opted for the five-furlong Queen Mary.

Lennilu debuted April 6 at Keeneland with a length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on dirt. In the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, in which she prompted the early pace before taking over and drawing clear, Lennilu demonstrated an affinity for turf to earn her trip to England.

“I know she is a very, very good filly. She is one of the best 2-year-olds I’ve trained in my career,” Biancone said. “I know she is one of the favorites with the bookmakers right now.”

Lennilu will make a bid to achieve the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies-Queen Mary double that was pulled off by George Weaver-trained Crimson Advocate in 2023.

Weaver is scheduled to return to Royal Ascot this year with Sandal’s Song, who captured the May 10 Royal Palm Juvenile. The son of Mendelssohn, who is in training at Saratoga, is expected to run in five-furlong Norfolk (G2) June 19.

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