Vaughan Hoping La Lune (GB) Continues Big Week In Sunday's Rood & Riddle Dowager

For trainer Edward Vaughan, it already has been a big week.

“Got my first stakes win in the States Monday at Presque Isle (Downs),” Vaughan said Wednesday morning, referring to Alnaseem (GB)’s victory in the H.B.P.A. Stakes at the Pennsylvania track. Vaughan also owns Alnaseem, who gave him his first North American win with a May victory at Churchill Downs.

The trainer hopes the hot streak continues Sunday when he plans to run Alex Frost’s La Lune (GB) in the 30^th running of the $150,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) going 1½ miles on the turf.

Vaughan, who set up shop here at Keeneland last November after relocating from England, had La Lune come to his barn two months ago.

“I got her just before her race at Kentucky Downs,” Vaughan said of the 5-year-old mare, who ran second in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon (L) going 1 5/16 miles on Sept. 12.

“The owners wanted me to watch all her races to see if she would fit here. I thought she would do better with firmer ground and at Kentucky Downs, she was slow to break. She was just learning her job here, and I was just getting to know her.”

A Group 3 winner going 1½ miles at Haydock in England in May, La Lune tuned up for her expected Sunday start by working a half-mile in :50.80 on the main track Wednesday morning.

“Like a lot of mile-and-a-half horses, she won’t blow you away in the morning,” said Vaughan, who now has 11 horses in his barn after starting with three. “I left some horses behind and brought the ones that I thought would fit and we have picked up a few more.”