Rushing Fall secures milestone with Jenny Wiley win
Rushing Fall achieved a remarkable milestone Saturday and further stamped herself a Keeneland legend by winning the Grade 1, $350,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes.
With the victory, the More Than Ready mare has now won Grade 1 races at ages 2, 3, 4 and 5. She joins only Lady Eli and Beholder as horses to accomplish that feat since 1976.
Rushing Fall also now has five Keeneland stakes victories to her name, including back-to-back runnings of the Jenny Wiley. She improved to a sparkling 13: 10-2-0 in her career and added to a bankroll that already topped $2 million.
Chad Brown, who collected his 100th career Grade 1 victory earlier Saturday at Keeneland, trains the winner. Jockey Javier Castellano had the mount on the e Five Racing Thoroughbreds runner.
“To me, in my career, my personal life, this one’s at the top, ever,” Castellano said when asked where Rushing Fall ranks among horses he’s piloted. “I think she’s the best filly. She’s always consistent. She never disappoints.”
Rushing Fall broke Saturday as the 4-5 favorite in the Jenny Wiley, a 1 1/16-mile turf trip for older fillies and mares. She broke from post No. 4 in the eight-horse field and settled in second to pace setter Jolie Olimpica, who set fractions of :23.42 and :46.94.
Castellano took aim at the leader coming through the turn, moving up to Jolie Olimpica’s outside. The pace setter battled gamely along the rail but didn’t have enough to turn back Rushing Fall, who won by a length.
Rushing Fall covered the trip in 1:39.02 – a stakes and course record – and returned $3.60. Richard Mandella trains runner-up Jolie Olimpica, while Juliet Foxtrot was third for conditioner Brad Cox.