By J.N. Campbell
Flying the flag of the Empire State, New York-bred My Mane Squeeze (Audible) ran like a well-backed favorite as she got the money with a statement surge to take home the GIII Dogwood Stakes under the Twin Spires on Saturday.
The William Butler homebred returned to the Louisville main track which she mastered back in May when she won the GII Eight Belles Stakes on the Oaks undercard. Though she was well-beaten when fourth at Saratoga June 7 in the GI Acorn Stakes to GI Cotillion Stakes winner Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), My Mane Squeeze finished third in the GI Test Stakes upstate Aug. 3 and was the runner-up in the GII Charles Town Oaks Aug. 23.
Sent off at 3-2 here, the chalk had some targets to run at after an early scramble for the lead forced her to be shuffled towards the rear of the field up the backstretch. Gobbling up ground just before the far turn, My Mane Squeeze began to get underway and the filly built up a head of steam in the three path by the top of the lane. Rolling like a freight train, the dark bay cleared at the eighth pole and pulled into the station right on schedule. Former claiming horse Fibber (Frosted) was the runner-up.
“Today the plan was to try to break and be a little closer than last time,” said jockey Luis Saez. “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.”
Pedigree Notes:
My Mane Squeeze's sire (by Into Mischief) has a pair of graded stakes victors in his ledger–the other being GIII Sweetest Chant Stakes heroine Life's An Audible. A half-sister to MSW A Freud of Mama (Freud), the winner's dam is responsible for 2-year-old filly in-training Willful Mama (War of Will) and she foaled a filly by Honest Mischief May 19. In Spite of Mama was not reported as bred for 2025. Under the Dogwood Stakes victress's third dam we find GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes hero Haynesfield (Speightstown).
Saturday, Churchill Downs
FASIG-TIPTON DOGWOOD S.-GIII, $269,335, Churchill Downs, 9-21, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.27, ft.
1–MY MANE SQUEEZE, 122, f, 3, by Audible
1st Dam: In Spite of Mama, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Mama Theresa, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Nothing Special, by Tejabo
O-William J. Butler and WinStar Farm LLC; B-William Butler
(NY); T-Michael J. Maker; J-Luis Saez. $150,350. Lifetime
Record: GISP, 12-6-1-3, $988,460. *1/2 to Rotknee
(Runhappy), MSW & GSP, $665,330 and Lookin for Trouble
(Into Mischief), MSP, $170,220. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fibber, 120, f, 3, Frosted–Devious Intent, by Dixie Union.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($55,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).
O-Flatland Racing Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Chris A. Hartman. $58,500.
3–Legadema, 120, f, 3, Arrogate–Scarlet Love, by Not For Love.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($590,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).
O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Mill Ridge Farm et al (KY); T-Philip A.
Bauer. $29,250.
Margins: 5, 3, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.52, 3.25, 9.53.
Also Ran: Uphill Dance, Neom Beach, Halina's Forte, Reagan's Flame, Manama Gold. Scratched: Cap Classique.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#5 My Mane Squeeze holds on to win the @FasigTiptonCo Dogwood (GIII) at Churchill Downs.
The 3-year-old daughter of Audible was ridden by @luissaezpty and conditioned by Mike Maker.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/yfirQxEnz7
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 21, 2024
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