Sheep Pond Partners' Lady Eli (Divine Park) was one of a handful of contenders for next Saturday's GI Jenny Wiley S. to breeze over Keeneland's turf course Saturday, covering five furlongs in 1:02.40 in company with Roca Rojo (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}). Beneath exercise rider Walter Malasquez, Lady Eli clicked off fractions of :14, :26.80, :38.80, 1:02:40 and a six-furlong gallop out in 1:15.60 [video]. Following the work, trainer Chad Brown confirmed that the three-time Grade I winner is on schedule to make her 2017 debut in the Jenny Wiley.
“She's been training so well in South Florida, I just wanted her to have a recent breeze over the turf course,” Brown said. “She hasn't run on it since she was three [winning the GIII Appalachian S.]. Every course is a little different. I took advantage of the opportunity to get on the turf course and let her get her footing on it.”
Brown added that Roca Rojo, owned by Sheep Pond in partnership with Newport Stables and Bradley Thoroughbreds, would not compete in the Jenny Wiley unless the course came up soft. Otherwise, she will point toward the GII Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile S. on GI Kentucky Derby Day May 6.
Gary Barber, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm's Catch a Glimpse (City Zip) worked a half-mile in :50.40 [video], while Phillips Racing Partnership's Time and Motion (Tapit) posted an easy half in :52.40 [video] ahead of expected starts in the Jenny Wiley.
“We wanted an easy work, because her last work was a :58 [for five furlongs at Palm Meadows],” said Tiffany Webb, assistant to trainer James Toner. “She galloped out nicely.”
Time and Motion won the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. over the local turf course last autumn.
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