Exotics Plays for the 2024 Jenny Wiley Stakes

A superb field of 10 fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland lawn in Saturday’s $600,000 Jenny Wiley S. (G1). Conditioner Chad Brown has saddled the winner of the affair on six occasions dating back to 2015, including five of the last six heroines on the contest. And he’s back for more with four of the 10 entrants coming from his powerful stable. 

Jenny Wiley Exotics

• $6 exacta key box 6 with 5,9 ($24)
• $1 trifecta 5,6,9 with 5,6,9 with 2,3,5,6,7,9 ($24)
• 10-cent superfecta 6 with 2,3,5,7,9 with 2,3,5,7,9 with all ($14)

As much as it pains me to side with the morning-line choice in a very deep field, I simply can’t look past the fact that #6 Gina Romantica (3-1) has posted two Grade 1 wins from two career runs over the Keeneland lawn. The daughter of Into Mischief bagged the Queen Elizabeth II S. (G1) here as a sophomore, and she ran down a fine cast to take the First Lady S. (G1) in the fall for Brown. This Peter Brant color bearer concluded her four-year-old campaign missing by a length when fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) and has trained swiftly in the interim. She will likely track the pace from the second flight early with Tyler Gaffalione in the silks. 

The lightly raced #5 English Rose (9-2) is a head shy of being unbeaten for trainer Charlie Appleby. The Frankel filly dominated the Balanchine (G2) at Meydan in her second run of the season last time out, and the Godolphin homebred seemingly has a very high ceiling going forward. William Buick riding adds to her appeal. 

Jose Ortiz put #9 Didia (4-1) on the front end in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2) at Gulfstream most recently and the tactic paid off. Classy Group 1 heroine is 10-for-15 in her lifetime, and in a field lacking a true front-runner, the Orpen six-year-old will be dangerous if she gets sent from the break in her second run of the season for Ignacio Correas. 

#3 Elusive Princess (8-1) has room to improve in her second run of 2024 for Arnaud Delacour, while the Brown duo of #2 Fluffy Socks (6-1) and #7 Surge Capacity (5-1) are also logical inclusion for the vertical gimmicks.