Zipessa eyes Jenny Wiley at Keeneland

Racing for the first time in seven months, Zipessa ran away with a first-level optional $40,000 claiming turf race Monday at Fair Grounds, and trainer Mike Stidham said he’s looking for a stakes race for her.

“We’ll nominate her to the Jenny Wiley,” Stidham said after Zipessa led all the way Monday. She ran about a mile in 1:37.93 to win by 5 1/4 lengths. The Grade 1 Jenny Wiley is a 1 1/16-mile turf race for older females April 16 at Keeneland.

Stidham was high on Zipessa, a daughter of City Zip and the Horse Chestnut mare Precious Princess, last summer. After she routed first-level allowance rivals in a 2 3/4-length victory in July at Del Mar in her second start, “we felt so good about her, we ran her in the Del Mar Oaks,” Stidham said. She finished eighth in that Grade 1 race Aug. 15.

“She came out of it with a hind-end issue,” Stidham said. “She’s come back really well. Her works here have all been straightforward, really touting how good she is.”