Heart’s Song a Live Longshot for the Dogwood

There can be little doubt that the much talked about Super Majesty is the filly to beat in Saturday night’s feature at Churchill Downs. Cutting back to the sprint distance of seven furlongs for the Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes, the flashy Southern California-based filly figures to be a handful on the front end. A romping winner in consecutive six furlong events to begin her career, the Jerry Hollendorfer trained miss did show vulnerability, though, when she stretched out to a mile for her last, losing by a nose at 3-10. Expected to be a clear favorite in the Dogwood, it may be worth the effort to try to beat her again at low odds in her first race away from California, and at the elongated sprint distance of seven-eighths. If she is indeed vulnerable in the ninth race of a special Downs After Dark nighttime racing program, I may have just the bomb to get the job done.

Heart’s Song is a consistent three-year-old filly from the Bill Connelly barn. Despite her excellent 9: 4-4-1 career mark, the Indiana-bred daughter of Desert Party should be largely ignored at the betting windows. A confirmed late runner, she had a two-race winning streak stopped last time when she finished second to the very good Lady Fog Horn in the Indiana First Lady Stakes. Way back early in the 8 ½ furlong race, she did very well to rally wide for second place. Already a two-time winner at Churchill Downs, she should appreciate the cutback to seven furlongs, because of the fast early pace almost certain to materialize. A filly that could likely be 20-1 on Saturday, with Jon Court in the irons, Heart’s Song fires every single time, and is also 1-for-1 at the distance.

On a track that we already know she likes, I have little doubt that Heart’s Song will come running as she always does. The class step up to the Dogwood from Indiana Grand is not quite as much as people would like to think, and I believe the seven furlongs will really give her the nice set-up of fast early fractions, and tiring speed horses, come the final furlong. I consider her a great bet to rally into the money, and who knows … if Super Majesty is pressured enough early, the table may be set up for the Indiana long shot to pick up all the pieces.

Sure, this could be end up being just a pit stop for Super Majesty on her way to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, but playing Heart’s Song at long odds both underneath, and even on top in the 12-horse field, is well worth the shot in my book.