Churchill Downs: My Mane Squeeze runs away in Dogwood
Accomplished 3-year-old filly My Mane Squeeze returned to Churchill Downs on Saturday and surged to a powerful, five-length victory in the 49th running of the Grade 3, $269,335 Dogwood Stakes under jockey Luis Sáez.
Owned by William Butler and WinStar Farm and trained by Mike Maker, My Mane Squeeze covered the seven-furlong distance in 1:22.27.
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A scramble for the lead unfolded during the early stages of the Dogwood with Neom Beach taking command after a quarter-mile in 22.39 seconds. Legadema, Fibber and Halina’s Forte all were within a length of the lead up the backstretch with favored My Mane Squeeze tracking just behind them while in the clear.
Around the turn after a half-mile in 45.95 seconds, Legadema briefly took the lead but quickly was confronted by My Mane Squeeze on her outside at the mid-stretch marker.
With a decisive surge under Sáez, My Mane Squeeze kicked clear to secure the victory over Fibber, Legadema, Uphill Dance, Neom Beach, Halina’s Forte, Reagan’s Flame and Manama Gold in that order.
“Today the plan was to try to break and be a little closer than last time,” Sáez 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.”
My Mane Squeeze, a 3-year-old daughter of Audible out of the Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, boasts a record of 12: 6-1-3 with career earnings of $988,460. Bred in New York by co-owner William Butler, she previously won the Eight Belles (G2) during Churchill Downs spring meet.
Sent off as the 3-2 favorite, My Mane Squeeze returned $5.04, $3.18, and $2.50. Fibber paid $3.78 and $2.58 for second, and Legadema returned $4.92 for third.