Carribean Caper Tops Dogwood, Two Stakes Debut At Churchill Downs Saturday

LOUISVILLE, KY – Columbine Stable’s undefeated 3-year-old filly Carribean Caper will attempt to land her fifth consecutive victory in the 46th running of the $275,000 Dogwood Stakes on Saturday’s card at Churchill Downs that also includes the debut of two stakes.

The 7-furlong Dogwood drew a compact field of seven 3-year-old fillies and was carded as race 8 with a post time of 4:22 PM (all times Eastern). Saturday’s 11-race card features a stakes trio including the inaugural runnings of the $275,000 Bourbon Trail and the $275,000 Harrods Creek, both for 3-year-olds. First post is 12:45 PM.

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Trained by Al Stall Jr., Carribean Caper began her career at Fair Grounds with a scintillating 8-length score. The daughter of Speightstown then cruised to a 4 1/2-length first-level allowance victory at Keeneland.

Following 3 months away from the races, Carribean Caper returned in a conditioned allowance event at Ellis Park and dominated four rivals by 4 1/2 lengths. In her most recent start, the Kentucky-bred defeated Magic Quest by 1 length in the $100,000 Audubon Oaks at Ellis. Colby Hernandez, who has been aboard Carribean Caper for all 4 of her lifetime starts, will ride from post 2.

Saturday’s Dogwood field also includes Joel Politi’s Li’l Tootsie and Let It Ride Stables’ Shesa Mystery, who are both graded stakes-placed in their young careers.

The complete Dogwood field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Coppelia (Martin Garcia, Phil Bauer); Carribean Caper (Hernandez, Stall); Li’l Tootsie (James Graham, Tom Amoss); Malloy (Joe Talamo, Wayne Catalano); Shesa Mystery (Miguel Mena, Jeff Hiles); Patty H (Julien Leparoux, Mike Miceli); and Someone Said So (Adam Beschizza, Coty Rosin).

King Fury tops Bourbon Trail

Three Chimneys Farm’s 2021 Lexington Stakes (G3) winner King Fury headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s inaugural running of the 1 3/16-mile Bourbon Trail.

King Fury has run against some of the nation’s top 3-year-old colts this year, including his most recent fifth-place effort behind top Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)-rated horse Essential Quality in the $1.25 million Travers (G1). Trained by Kenny McPeek, the son of Curlin broke his maiden at Churchill Downs on debut and scored a 1/2-length victory in the $98,000 Street Sense last fall.

King Fury’s 3-year-old campaign includes a 2 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 Lexington and a runner-up finish to Masqueparade in the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3). King Fury will be reunited with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who has been aboard the chestnut colt for all 3 of his victories. The duo will break from post 4.

Also entered in the Bourbon Trail is Rupp Racing’s stakes winner Gagetown. Trained by Brad Cox, Gagetown most recently finished third in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby and the $250,000 Iowa Derby. The son of Exaggerator won the $50,000 Prairie Mile in June. Martin Garcia will ride from the rail.

The complete field for the Bourbon Trail from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Gagetown (Garcia, Cox); King’s Ovation (Joe Talamo, Dale Romans); Dr Jack (Tyler Gaffalione, Todd Pletcher); King Fury (Hernandez, McPeek); Angkor (Adam Beschizza, Phil Bauer); Bourbon Thunder (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes); and Sermononthemount (James Graham, Tom Amoss).

St. Louis Derby Runner-Up Irish Unity Headlines Harrods Creek

Clearview Stable’s recent $250,000 St. Louis Derby runner-up Irish Unity tops a competitive field of ten 3-year-old colts and geldings entered in the Harrods Creek.

Irish Unity, conditioned by North American and Churchill Downs’ all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen, has not finished worse than second in 4 career starts. The consistent son of Pioneerof the Nile won his first 1 starts in June at Lone Star prior to shipping to Asmussen’s Kentucky string.

The homebred finished second to Beaver Hat in a conditioned allowance event at Ellis Park before his runner-up effort to Flash of Mischief in last month’s St. Louis Derby. Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the return mount from post 7.

Also entered in the Harrods Creek is Wayne Davis’ 4-time-winning Louisiana-based gelding Emerald Forest. Trained by Shane Wilson, Emerald Forest dominated his 2 most recent starts by a combined 18 lengths at Evangeline Downs and Louisiana Downs.

In those starts, Emerald Forest earned stout Brisnet.com speed ratings of 100 and 105, respectively. Jose Guerrero, who’s based at Louisiana Downs, will travel to Kentucky for the mount and will break from post 5.

The complete field for the Harrods Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Dreamer’s Disease (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Ram (Rafael Bejarano, D. Wayne Lukas); Bob’s Edge (Adam Beschizza, Larry Jones); He’smyhoneybadger (Martin Garcia, Brad Cox); Emerald Forest (Guerrero, Wilson); Shadow Matter (Corey Lanerie, Dallas Stewart); Irish Unity (Hernandez, Asmussen); Wolfie’s Dynaghost (Tyler Gaffalione, Tom Albertrani); Flags Up (James Graham, Jimmy Baker); and Everett’s Song (Pablo Morales, Dale Bennett).