Farrell ready for comeback in Dogwood

Following a 141-day layoff, Coffee Pot Stables’ multiple graded stakes winner Farrell is set for her return to the races in Saturday night’s 42nd running of the $100,000 Dogwood Presented by GE Appliances (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

“We’re excited to get her back to the races,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “She’s been training great this summer at Saratoga and Churchill so our fingers are crossed.”

Farrell, a 3-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, was the second-betting choice in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) but did not handle the sloppy surface and finished a well-beaten 14th.

“The good news is rain is out of the picture Saturday,” Catalano said. “Now we get to deal with the heat. She’s a professional, though; she’ll handle it. There’s a lot of speed in the race so it will be interesting how the pace shapes up.”

The weather conditions for Farrell’s comeback start are likely to be ideal. The National Weather Service forecast for Louisville on Saturday calls for sunny skies with a high near 89 and a low around 66, which means the track will be “fast.”

The 11-race evening program – the final nighttime card at Churchill Downs this year – also will include a marquee race for purebred Arabians: the $100,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, a Grade I event over 1 1/16 miles for 4-years-old and up featuring defending champ and two-time reigning Arabian Horse of the Year Paddys Day.

Farrell was the points leader in the 2016-17 Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 171 points after victories in last fall’s $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs and an impressive sweep of Fair Grounds’ 3-year-old fillies series: the $150,000 Silverbulletday, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra (GII) and $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (GII).

Catalano will join Churchill Downs’ John Asher, Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein on Friday at 6 p.m. (all times Eastern) on “Inside Churchill Downs” to discuss Farrell’s comeback start. The show can be heard locally on ESPN 680/105.7 or streamed online at www.espnlouisville.com. Podcasts will be available following the show on ESPN Louisville’s website.

Fellow Kentucky Oaks contender Jordan’s Henny could be one of Farrell’s main threats as she cuts back in distance to seven furlongs and switches surfaces back to dirt from her previous start at Saratoga in the Aug. 24 Riskaverse Stakes on turf.

“Ideally a one-turn mile would be perfect for her,” Tomlinson said. “I think she’ll do just fine going seven furlongs. The real story is the pace that could shape up in this race. There could be several horses contesting things early but the good news is she can rate. Hopefully we’ll be able to run them down and pick up the pieces late.”

Jordan’s Henny, owned and bred by legendary country music manager Erv Woolsey and Ralph Kinder, was targeting the Sept. 24 $200,000 Remington Park Oaks but will remain entered in the Dogwood, according to Tomlinson.   

     

Tequilita, one of the chief rivals to Farrell and Jordan’s Henny, is expected to scratch in favor of running in the $300,000 Charles Town Oaks (Grade III) on Saturday evening, according to Racing Secretary Ben Huffman.

The complete Dogwood field from the rail out (with jockeys and morning line odds): Pinch Hit (Jon Court, 15-1); Champagne Problems (Calvin Borel, 20-1); Tequilita (Luis Saez, 4-1); Nineteenth Street (Alonso Quinonez, 20-1); Too Much Tip (Julio Garcia, 10-1); Minnie Blip (Miguel Mena,15-1); Cara Blythe (Alex Canchari, 20-1); Farrell (Channing Hill, 3-1); Student Body (Brian Hernandez Jr., 12-1); No More Babies (Joe Rocco Jr., 15-1); My Sweet Stella (Ricardo Santana Jr., 15-1); Jordan’s Henny (Corey Lanerie, 12-1); Covenant (Geroux, 4-1); and Perfect Wife (Chris Landeros, 20-1).

All 3-year-old fillies will carry 118 pounds except for Farrell, Tequilita and Too Much Tip, who will tack 122.

The Dogwood, won last year by G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Mines and Magic, will be run as Race 9 at approximately 10:11 p.m. (all times Eastern) on an 11-race card that begins at 6 p.m.