Dowager Preview: Siberian Iris Invades

LEXINGTON, KY – Calumet Farm’s talented stayer Siberian Iris invades another Kentucky-based track looking for glory in Sunday’s $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.

The Dowager is a 1 1/2-mile, three-turn turf route restricted to fillies and mares ages 3 and up. This year’s edition is the penultimate event on a 9-race card and has a local post time of 4:57 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the Dowager:

1. With Dignity 10/1 – She gives turf another shot after finishing a well-beaten fifth in last year’s 1-mile Indiana Grand Stakes. All 3 career victories came on dirt and she’s finished seventh in both the Groupie Doll Stakes and the La Troienne Stakes (G1).

2. Blame Debbie 2/1 – She’s crossed the wire first in each of her last 2 starts, though she was disqualified and placed third after drifting in late while going 1 5/16 miles in a Kentucky Downs allowance. She missed by just a neck while going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park in June, and the victor, Civil Union, has since won 3 stakes, including last week’s Flower Bowl (G1).

3. Over Thinking 4/1 – She came within a neck of winning the 1 3/8-mile CTT & TOC Stakes at Del Mar 2 starts back in August, the closest that she’s gotten to crossing the wire first since November 2018. She wired first-level allowance rivals while going 1 3/16 miles over this course in October 2018, and in a field devoid of much pace on paper, she can do it again in this spot.

Check our Handicapping Products page to find out how we are playing this and every race on the card!

4. Always Shopping 5/2 – She ended her 17-month losing streak in September’s 1 1/16-mile Monroe Stakes over the Gulfstream Park lawn, her first over that surface and first time wearing blinkers. She’ll need to improve upon the career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure that she earned, but trainer Todd Pletcher has a sharp 21% success rate with last-out winners.

5. Siberian Iris 5/2 – The California-based mare stayed in the Bluegrass State after finishing fifth in the 1 5/16-mile TVG Stakes over a good Kentucky Downs course. She does her best running when going longer on the lawn and finished second against males in June’s San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3); the winner, Red King, returned to win the Del Mar Handicap (G2).

6. Naomi Broadway 10/1 – Trainer Paulo Lobo supplemented her into the field after she finished third in a 1-mile optional claiming turf event at Indiana Grand on September 28. She’ll try to repeat the same success that fellow Brazilian-bred Ivar enjoyed over this course last month for Lobo and jockey Joe Talamo when he upset the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1).

See the day’s full plays from Ricky’s Rockets!