Lagynos, a mere $200,000 yearling purchase by Chad Schumer, added further to his outstanding resume on Thursday when successful in the Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The win, his 8th in total, pushed his overall earnings past $2.2 million.
Sent off the favorite, Lagynos settled along the rail in fourth under Jose Ortiz before launching his run down the lane and gamely winning the bob in a three-way finish.
Lagynos has been a real star for Steve Asmussen. In addition to the Opening Verse, his wins include this year’s Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Stakes and Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes. Equally effective on turf and dirt, the 5yo son of Kantharos was also successful in the 2024 Grade 3 Commonwealth Cup at Churchill Downs and last year’s Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs alongside a series of stakes placings.
Purchased as a Keeneland September yearling out of the Valkyre Stud draft, Lagynos was bred by Robert Spiegel out of Steamy, by Speightstown.
