Dickinson in Good Order After Jenny Wiley Triumph

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has had his share of big race days. To have an outing like the one the Lexington native experienced at Keeneland April 15 was something that struck a poignant chord within the veteran horseman.

McLaughlin enjoyed a perfect day of racing in the Bluegrass Saturday, saddling four winners from as many starters on the Keeneland card including Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) heroine Dickinson. McLaughlin's four-peat equaled the Keeneland mark for most wins on a single day at the track and all of his winners were reported to be in good order April 16.

NOVAK: Dickinson Runs Past Lady Eli to Win Jenny Wiley

"It was a great day, an unbelievable day," McLaughlin said from his Keeneland barn Sunday morning. "I think we've had four wins in a day at other tracks...but to do it here is special. It's always great to come home and win, but to go 4-for-4 was amazing."

Facing a group of turf distaffers as good as any a racing secretary could amass outside of Breeders' Cup day, Dickinson showed she was well on her way to becoming the latest talent in McLaughlin's barn. Godolphin Racing's homebred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   overcame having her momentum halted in the stretch to get up and best multiple grade 1 winner Lady Eli by a head in a Jenny Wiley field that featured four established top-level winners.

Since switching to the turf last September, Dickinson has won five of six outings including three straight graded stakes. McLaughlin reiterated Sunday that a start in June 10 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park would likely be next for his emerging turf standout.

"Dickinson is very special for Godolphin," McLaughlin said. "She's a homebred and her dam (Little Belle) won a grade 1 here (2008 Ashland Stakes). She had a rough trip, and I thought she was in trouble when she got stopped and had to go around. Lady Eli had a beautiful trip and got the jump on her, but it was just a great race."

Lady Eli, who was making her first start since getting beat by a nose in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) in November, was reported to be well Sunday morning according to trainer Chad Brown, who said he would likely look for a race for her in New York next.

Trainer Graham Motion said via text message that all was good with Quidura, who ran a bang-up race to get third in the Jenny Wiley in what was her third North American start and first try against grade 1 company. 

Grade 1 winner Time and Motion was also none the worse for wear after finishing sixth in the Jenny Wiley. Trainer Jimmy Toner said he may look to add blinkers to the 4-year-old daughter of Tapit   in her next start—which could come in the May 13 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Belmont.

"We've been toying with (adding blinkers) since she was a 2-year-old, but she won five races so you don't want to start changing things," Toner said. "But every time she runs she always gets to looking around and losing focus. Yesterday, she was sitting perfect and (jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) said he tipped her out and asked her to go and she threw her head in the air and started looking around. She just lost her focus."

David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, said multiple grade 1 winner Catch a Glimpse came out of her eighth-place finish with no obvious excuse and that they would regroup with the owners before deciding what might be next for the daughter of City Zip  .

"We were quietly confident going into the race that she would run a huge race," Carroll said. "She had everything her way, the fractions were easy for her but when it came time to run, they just ran by her. But she owes nobody anything."