Jenny Wiley

Claiborne Farm's homebred WEND (Pulpit) won as a 6-5 favorite should in the

$200,000

Jenny Wiley S. (G2) at Keeneland on Saturday. In a change of tactics,

the Bill Mott trainee was reserved off the early pace by jockey Edgar Prado and

launched her rally entering the stretch, sweeping to an authoritative 1

1/2-length victory. Her final time for the 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf was a

snappy 1:41 1/5.

In the opening stages of the contest, Zona (Ity) (Mr. Greeley) and Brazilian

(Stravinsky) dueled for the lead, with Zona maintaining a slight advantage

through fractions of :24, :48 and 1:11 4/5. Meanwhile, Wend had been striding

comfortably toward the outside in fifth, and turning for home, Prado was riding

confidently, not asking her to make an effort until straightening into the

stretch. The winner's response was immediate, as she quickened visibly to take

the lead, finishing a mile in 1:35 2/5. Powering clear through the final

sixteenth in a sharp :5 4/5, Wend left no doubt about her superiority.

"She can run on the front or come from behind," Prado said. "She was very

powerful down the stretch; very strong."

Asi Siempre (El Prado [Ire]) closed from near the back of the pack for a

commendable second, especially considering that she hopped as the gates sprang

open. A length behind her in third came Mirabilis (Lear Fan), who held that

position throughout the race, only a head in front of Amorama (Fr) (Sri Pekan)

in fourth. Ambitious Cat (Storm Cat) was another head back in fifth, trailed by

Miss Mambo (Kingmambo), Zona and Brazilian. Cape Hope (Cape Town) was withdrawn.

Interestingly, the top five choices in the wagering finished in that order.

Favored Wend returned $4.60, $3 and $2.20. Asi Siempre went off as the 7-2

second choice, paying $4.20 and $2.80, and the 5-1 Mirabilis yielded $3.60. The

exacta was worth $16.80, trifecta $56 and, with 8-1 Amorama in fourth, the

superfecta (9-6-8-5) totaled $189.60.

In landing her fourth career stakes victory, Wend advanced her mark to

11-7-1-0 with a bankroll of $568,350. Exiting a score in the Honey Fox H. (G3)

at Gulfstream Park in her 2006 bow, she had captured the 2005 New York H. (G2)

and Hollywood Wildcat Breeders' Cup H. In her only previous appearance at

Keeneland, she was a hard-charging runner-up to subsequent champion

Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) in the Galaxy S. (G2) last October.

The Kentucky-bred is out of the multiple stakes-winning Thread (Topsider),

who has produced two full sisters to Wend -- a chestnut sophomore named Bobbin

who was third in her career debut at Gulfstream Park in March, and an unnamed

yearling.

Prado is looking forward to the rest of the season with the five-year-old

mare.

"She ran some tough races last year, and she came back real good this year,"

Prado said. "There's a long year ahead, and she just did a super job."