Dickinson's Jenny Wiley win caps wonderful day for McLaughlin

The afternoon started with a maiden win in the fourth race and by the time the day was done with the victory by Dickinson in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1), trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had earned a spot in the Keeneland record books.

The Lexington native joined Bill Mott and Todd Pletcher as the only trainers to win four races on a single Keeneland card since the track began running races in October 1936. McLaughlin won with every starter he had Saturday; all are owned by Godolphin Racing and all were bred under Godolphin’s Darley banner.

“To come back to his hometown and do what he did yesterday was incredible,” said Roger Horgan, who is overseeing McLaughlin’s Keeneland string. “I thought if they all brought their ‘A’ game, we could have a good day because they all fit.”

The hit parade started in the fourth race when Tasteful came from far back with a devastating move to win by 3¾ lengths and break her maiden in her second start.

“The way she won gave us confidence going into the Ben Ali (G3) with Watershed,” Horgan said. “The track yesterday favored his running style. It was deeper and didn’t favor speed.”

Before Watershed’s victory, Zennor posted an allowance win on the grass.

“That race went all against his running style,” Horgan said. “Usually he is aggressive and on or near the lead. When the Juddmonte horse (Forge [GB]) came to him, I thought that was it, but he held him off. Maybe that’s his preferred style.

“By then, I thought this good day could turn into a great day and it turned out to be magical.”

Watershed came from off the pace to get his first graded-stakes win in the Ben Ali, easily holding off defending champion Eagle by 2¾ lengths.

“He is a tired teddy bear this morning,” Horgan said.

Dickinson capped off the day with her head victory over Lady Eli in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley.

“She is good this morning,” Horgan said of the 5-year-old who has won three consecutive graded stakes. “To overcome what she did yesterday in the stretch was pretty incredible.”

Dickinson was caught in behind horses in the upper stretch and had to wait for room. That allowed Lady Eli to get the jump on her and left

Dickinson with work to do. Paco Lopez, who was winning on Dickinson for the third consecutive time, got her in the clear inside the eighth pole and was able to run down Lady Eli in the final yards.

After the race, McLaughlin indicated the $700,000 Just A Game (G1) at a mile on June 10 at Belmont Park would be the likely next stop for Dickinson.

“You never can be overly confident, because this is spring at Keeneland,” Horgan said. ”You don’t forget days like that. It was magical.”

Dickinson won the Coolmore Jenny Wiley by a head over 1-2 favorite Lady Eli, making her first start since her runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in November. Lady Eli was fine Sunday morning.

“She’s in great shape,” said Baldo Hernandez, assistant to trainer Chad Brown.

Brown returned to New York last night and would return to Keeneland Thursday, Hernandez said.

Finishing third in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley was Gestut Faerhof’s Quidura (GB), who was making her first start since winning the Pin Oak Valley View (G3) here last October.

“We were very happy with her,” said Alice Clapham, assistant to trainer Graham Motion. “She ran huge yesterday and is fine this morning. Graham will talk with the owners (about a next start), but it is a long year.”

Trainer James Toner said that Phillips Racing Partnership’s Time and Motion was OK after her sixth-place finish in her first Keeneland start since winning last fall’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Lane’s End (G1).

David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, said Catch a Glimpse also exited the race in good order after setting the pace before finishing last of eight, but just four lengths behind the winner.