Dripping Gold delivered a fun and agonizingly close win at Keeneland on Wednesday as he took advantage of a nice trip carved out by Tyler Gaffalione and got his nose down on the wire.

A debut victor at Saratoga as a juvenile, the 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid was due for a winning head bob: he was beaten by a nose and by a neck in his final two races in 2022, before returning with a fourth-place finish in a rough trip at Gulfstream last time out.

Acquired as an OBS 2-year-old in 2021, Dripping Gold pushed his career bankroll past $200,000.

West Point’s Jeff Lifson said, “Our boy broke perfectly, sat in the car bird seat, eased to the leader in the turn and fought off a determined foe late for the win.”

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey trains Dripping Gold for the racing partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, John Ballantyne and Titletown Racing Stable.