Dickinson's Jenny Wiley win caps 4-for-4 day for Godolphin, McLaughlin

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Overcoming a spot of trouble in midstretch, Dickinson was up in the final strides to defeat the mighty Lady Eli in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland, capping a surreal day for her connections.

The victory ended a 4-for-4 afternoon for Godolphin Racing and its primary trainer in the United States, Kiaran McLaughlin.

“We’re going to enjoy this, for sure,” said Jimmy Bell, president of the American division of Godolphin, the worldly powerhouse stable owned by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. “These days don’t come along very often.”

Nor does Lady Eli go down to defeat very often. Sent away the 1-2 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares in the Grade 1, $350,000 Jenny Wiley, Lady Eli and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. appeared to have the 1 1/16-mile turf race won with about 100 yards to go, having surged to the lead in midpack. But then Dickinson, always just a few lengths off the pace, launched a final rally after angling off the rail and away from traffic to prevail by a head.

Dickinson, a 5-year-old homebred mare by Medaglia d’Oro, returned $14.20 as second choice after finishing in 1:41.98 over a firm turf. Quidura was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third, followed in order by Kitten’s Roar, Goodyearforroses, Time and Motion, Illuminant, and Catch a Glimpse.]

Amid warm and breezy weather, and before an ontrack throng of 30,782, Catch a Glimpse set the pace in the 29th Jenny Wiley, going in 23.74, 48.05, and 1:12.63 before the pack began to engulf her. Lady Eli swept to the lead inside the furlong pole, only to yield late to Dickinson.

Dickinson is “just a nice filly,” said McLaughlin, whose four-win day equals the Keeneland record for most wins on a single card, also held by Todd Pletcher (2008) and Bill Mott (1995). “We had trouble and it still worked out. Just unbelievable to win four at Keeneland, especially ending on a Grade 1.”

Dickinson began her career with eight starts on dirt, winning twice, before a move to the turf sparked dramatic improvement. She now has won 5 of 6 on grass, with victories in the Grade 3 Suwanee River at Gulfstream and the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs directly preceding the Jenny Wiley. The $210,000 winner’s share lifts her bankroll to $604,316 from 14 starts.

Dickinson could run next in the Grade 1 Just a Game on the June 10 Belmont Stakes undercard, said McLaughlin, whose earlier winners Saturday included Watershed in the Grade 3 Ben Ali.

For Lady Eli, it was just her third defeat in 10 career starts, all by narrow margins. The 5-year-old mare was making her first start since finishing second by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November.

“It was a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “I just got beat.”

“Hats off to the winner,” said her trainer, Chad Brown. “Both ran well, but we just got beat right on the wire just like we did in the Breeders’ Cup. It’s tough, but it was her first start of the year, so hopefully she will move forward off of it. We’ll get her back to Belmont Park and then pick out a race up there. She is a neck and two noses from being undefeated. She is a great horse and I am really proud of her effort today.”

The $2 exacta (4-1) paid $31.20, the $1 trifecta (4-1-8) returned $95.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-1-8-5) was worth $73.28. The Jenny Wiley ended an all-stakes pick four that returned $847.10 for a 50-cent ticket on handle of $498,293.

The Jenny Wiley was the last of four Grade 1 races at a 15-day spring meet that runs through April 28. Keeneland goes dark for three days before racing resumes Wednesday.