The connections of KatieRich Stables’ May Day Ready had Friday’s $350,000 Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland Sales penciled in on her calendar but decided to keep the filly at Belmont Park for the Miss Grillo (G2) on Sept. 29 at Belmont at The Big A. Like the Jessamine, the New York grass race offers fees-paid entry and travel expenses to the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Mother Nature changed the plan. 

Torrential rain on the East Coast caused the New York Racing Association to postpone the Miss Grillo until Sunday while still conducting the other eight races on dirt. May Day Ready arrived at Keeneland early Wednesday morning for the Jessamine Presented by Keeneland Sales.

“We knew the weather was going to be good in Kentucky and that the turf course on opening day should be pristine, a nice course to run over,” trainer Joe Lee said. “Plus the owners are based in Kentucky. She had a very easy work (4 furlongs in :52 at Belmont Park) on Tuesday and got on the van that afternoon. This is not how we would have planned it, but it worked out after everything transpired.

“The Jessamine is a tough spot,” Lee added, “but we hope she runs well and will go on to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Lee began training for Larry and Karen Doyle’s KatieRich Farm of Midway, Kentucky, after leaving his longtime position with Kiaran McLaughlin and others who trained internationally for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin. Through that association, he came to know jockey Frankie Dettori, who is slated to ride May Day Ready in the Jessamine Presented by Keeneland Sales.

Dettori rode May Day Ready to victories in her two previous starts: a maiden special weight race at Saratoga and the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies (L) on Sept. 8. Coincidentally, Dettori was aboard May Day Ready’s dam, Nemoralia, on five occasions during her successful time in Europe. Nemoralia raced in the U.S. and made two starts at Keeneland, finishing third in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and fourth in the 2016 First Lady (G1).