Owner Gary Iles broke the news to Trot Insider in January that Pepsi North America Cup winner Lather Up would resist the call to the breeding shed in order to compete on the track again in 2019. On Wednesday (March 27), the millionaire son of Im Gorgeous resurfaced for the first time since November.

“So many of the horses stop at three and there's a lot of fun just competing,” Iles told Trot Insider at the time (to read the announcement in its entirety, click here).

Lather Up took to the track Wednesday during Dover Downs’ morning qualifying session. In what was the first charted line of his four-year-old campaign, Lather lined up in Post 4 for Race 5, which was contested over a ‘fast’ track.

Lather Up, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)

The Clyde Francis trainee strode out from the gate to grab the lead early. The bay horse was first down to the quarter in a leisurely :30.3. He experienced a miscue in the second quarter, though, as the winner of 15 of 25 starts made a break in stride before the half-mile pole. Lather Up was ahead by multiple lengths when he made the break prior to clicking off the half in :58.3.

Lather Up paced his third quarter in a relaxed :29.4 and was on top by six lengths when he passed the three-quarters pole in 1:28.2. The horse’s trusty pilot, Montrell Teague, asked for more pace late. Lather Up responded by cranking it up a tad, as he came home in :28.1.

The final margin of victory was two and three-quarter lengths and the win time was 1:56.3.

Lather Up was as solid as the come in 2019, as he notched 11 wins from 18 starts to go along with a second-place effort and a pair of thirds. He banked $1.02 million in purse earnings last season and captured the lucrative Pepsi North America Cup in a life’s best 1:48.1. His other major 2018 scores for Gary and Barbara Iles came in his $275,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Final and opening-heat elimination of the Little Brown Jug.