My Mane Squeeze powers home victorious in the Dogwood (Coady Media)
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Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Accomplished 3-year-old filly My Mane Squeeze returned to Churchill Downs Saturday and surged to a powerful five-length victory in the 49th running of the $269,335 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes (Grade III) under jockey Luis Saez.
Owned by William Butler and WinStar Farm and trained by Mike Maker, My Mane Squeeze covered the seven-furlong distance in a final time of 1:22.27.
A scramble for the early lead unfolded during the early stages of the Dogwood with Neom Beach taking command after a quarter-mile in a solid :22.39. Legadema, Fibber and Halina’s Forte were all within a length of the lead up the backstretch with favored My Mane Squeeze tracking just behind them while in the clear. Around the far turn, after a half-mile in :45.95, Legadema briefly took the lead but was quickly confronted by My Mane Squeeze on her outside at the mid-stretch marker.
With a decisive surge under Saez, My Mane Squeeze kicked clear to secure the open-length victory over Fibber, Legadema, Uphill Dance, Neom Beach, Halina’s Forte, Reagan’s Flame and Manama Gold.
MY MANE SQUEEZE ($5.04) and @luissaezpty demolished the field in the $300,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) at @ChurchillDowns. The 3-year-old by @WinStarFarm's Audible was conditioned by @trainerMMaker. Congrats to the connections! pic.twitter.com/TTZPloGlzM
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 21, 2024
“Today the plan was to try to break and be a little closer than last time,” 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.”
My Mane Squeeze, a 3-year-old daughter of Audible out of the Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, now 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 (GII) 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, while Legadema returned $4.92 for third.
