Rabbah Bloodstock’s Choisya scored her first grade 1 win under a tactical, ground-saving ride from Luis Saez in the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) and then had to survive a rider’s objection from Flavien Prat on runner-up Excellent Truth April 12 at Keeneland.
Choisya drifted outward after taking the lead in the lane, and Prat checked Resolute Racing’s Excellent Truth while attempting to rally between the winner and third-place Kehoe Beach . The stewards took a few minutes but declined to make a change. Excellent Truth was beaten a half-length, and it was another half-length back to third.
The winner, a 5-year-old Night of Thunder mare trained by Simon Crisford, came to Keeneland off a pair of group 2 wins in Dubai at Meydan Racecourse. She paid $15.66 to win for a $2 wager.
Final time for 1 1/16 miles on the good turf was 1:42.01.
This story will be updated.
