My Mane Squeeze launched her bid between rivals nearing the completion of the far turn and powered clear into the stretch of the $269,335 Dogwood (G3), drawing off to a five-length decision in the seven-furlong test for filles. Second in the Charles Town Oaks (G2) and third in the Test (G1) in her last two outings, the Mike Maker-trained filly notched her first win since taking the Eight Belles (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard.
One of four stakes for three-year-olds at Churchill Downs Saturday, the Dogwood could prove to be a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2. Eventual champion three-year-old filly and female sprinter Covfefe swept the Dogwood and Filly & Mare Sprint in 2019, and Echo Zulu captured the Dogwood before finishing second in the 2022 Filly & Mare Sprint.
“Today the plan was to try to break and be a little closer than last time,” jockey Luis Saez said. “The track is pretty tight, and the plan was to put her in the clear as soon as possible. Everyone wanted to be up front early. She was in a good spot, and when she got to the top of the stretch, she was loaded. Last time when she ran at Charles Town, the track was a little deep and their turns are a little tight. That’s why today the plan was to break sharply and put her in the clear.”
Campaigned by William J. Butler and WinStar Farm, My Mane Squeeze left the starting gate as the 1.52-1 favorite and stopped the teletimer in 1:22.27. The New York-bred daughter of Audible earned her first stakes win in the restricted Maid of the Mist last fall, and the dark bay filly added another pair of state-bred stakes wins to her resume earlier this season. She’s now bankrolled $988,460 from a 12-6-1-3 record.
Fibber, who tracked the pace from the inside, and outfinished forwardly placed Legadema by three lengths for second, and it was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Uphill Dance in fourth. Next came Neom Beach, Halina’s Forte, Reagan’s Flame, and Manama Gold.
In the $287,500 Bourbon Flight at 1 3/16 miles, Ohio Derby (G3) winner Batten Down rebounded from a pair of setbacks at Saratoga with an easy victory. The Juddmonte Farm homebred son of Tapit established a moderate tempo and drew clear stylishly in the stretch, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths. Junior Alvarado was up on the gray colt for Bill Mott, and the odds-on favorite established a new track record in 1:54.66.
“He’s still trying to figure things out and I think will continue to get better with age,” Alvarado said. “We went a little fast early in the race, but he was doing things very comfortably. I could tell I had a lot of horse when we turned for home, and he just cruised down the stretch.”
Batten Down broke his maiden when making his fourth start at Churchill Downs in late April and followed with a wire-to-wire win in the Ohio Derby. He stepped up in the next two starts, finishing third in the Jim Dandy (G3) and well-beaten fifth in the Travers (G1) on Aug. 24, and the regally bred son of 2014 champion older female Close Hatches improved his career ledger to 8-3-1-2.
Hades wound up a clear second, and Elephants Ear, Mugatu, Next Level, and Real Macho followed.
Batten Downs counts multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire and sire Tacitus and 2024 Fleur de Lis (G2) winner Scylla as full siblings, and he’s closely related to last year’s champion older dirt female Idiomatic.
JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis’ Henro cut back to seven furlongs and rallied last to first in the $295,000 Harrods Creek, winning by 1 1/4 lengths. Winner of the Iowa Derby in his stakes debut two back, the Chris Hartman-trained gelding rebounded from a fourth in the West Virginia Derby (G3), and Henro was off as 5.97-1 fourth choice among six runners.
“This horse has so much class all the time and was training really well heading into the race,” jockey Rafael Bejarano said. “He’s a fun horse to ride and loves it here at Churchill Downs. He was covered up very well and had a good plan to settle off the pace. I was full of horse and wanted to make sure to get in the clear.”
A Kentucky-bred son of Collected, Henro moved his career line to 9-4-1-0.
Jefferson Street got up for second, and Dilger, 7-5 favorite Illuminare, Valentine Candy, and Willy D’s completed the order of finish.
In the $171,750 Seneca Overnight S., Miss Justify surged to a clear lead leaving the far turn and held stablemate Life Talk safe in deep stretch, prevailing by a half-length in the 1 1/16-mile event. Todd Pletcher trains the Justify filly for Twin Oaks Bloodstock, Joseph Bulger, Will Campbell, and IEE Racing Stables, and Saez picked up the mount.
Miss Justify was off as the 1.36-1 favorite. Winner of the Wilton S. two back, the bay miss was exiting a fourth in the Alabama (G1) and her career record now reads 7-4-0-1.
Grade 2 juvenile winner Life Talk surged late for second, nearly two lengths better than pacesetter Chatalas. Here’s the Spider, Neon Icon, Home Game, Little Jamie, and Midshipman’s Dance rounded out the order.
