Hard Not to Like posts upset in Wiley

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In a race as closely matched as the Grade 1, $300,000 Jenny Wiley appeared on paper, the running proved equally so with five fillies and mares finishing on the wire within three-quarters of a length Saturday at Keeneland.

In the end it was Hard Not to Like slipping up the inside to post a half-length upset under Javier Castellano, edging Discreet Marq, Abaco, Emotional Kitten, and Centre Court – who were inches apart in that order behind the winner.

Racing luck played a role in the finish, as Hard Not to Like was able to secure a hole on the inside in the stretch – something some of her competitors, including favored Stephanie’s Kitten, did not.

Not that Hard Not to Like had things everything her own way. The pace was slow in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley, with Discreet Marq setting a slow half-mile in 48.61 seconds on the Keeneland turf, which left her and the others near the lead, with plenty left for the stretch run.

The winner, meanwhile, was racing in sixth after a half mile with still much left to do. But once finding running room after advancing on the second turn, she found a way.

Castellano said he was tracking Discreet Marq, and was waiting for a spot. And once that opportunity materialized, he felt confident in his mare’s chances. “She gave me good run at the end -- I said when I got through, ‘I got it,’ he said.

Next to the winner, Abaco was finishing fastest on the outside of the course and nearly caught Discreet Marq for the place, a nose behind. A head then separated Abaco and Emotional Kitten, with another head back to Centre Court.

The latter took a brief lead at the eighth pole after rating just off the leaders, but couldn’t quicken with the top foursome in the closing yards.

Stephanie’s Kitten ran eighth as the favorite in her first race since finishing third in the Grade 1 Diana last July, and later being transferred by owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey from trainer Wayne Catalano to Chad Brown.

“She just didn’t have much running room,” Brown said. “We’ll just draw a line through it and get her back to New York.”

Hard Not to Like, a 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun, recorded the biggest victory of her career in taking the Jenny Wiley, her first Grade 1 victory. Last year at 4 she won the Grade 3 Marshua’s River at Gulfstream Park.

The winner, owned by Hillsbrook Farms and trained by Michael Matz, raced 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:42.38 and paid $29.