The 2026 Dogwood Stakes presented by Resolute Racing takes place Saturday, September 19 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Grade III race is contested at 7 furlongs on dirt for 3-year-old fillies and carries a $300,000 purse.
| Date | Saturday, September 19, 2026 |
| Track | Churchill Downs |
| Race | Race 8 |
| Distance | 7 furlongs |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Grade | Grade III |
| Purse | $300,000 |
| Age | 3-year-old fillies |
| Post Time | 9:39 PM ET |
Entry Update: The 2026 Dogwood Stakes field is confirmed with six starters. Post positions, jockeys and trainers are listed in the odds table below. Official morning-line odds will be added once published.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explora (KY) | J. J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | TBA |
| 2 | My Steel Magnolia (KY) | C. A. Torres | Caio Caramori | TBA |
| 3 | Where Luck Lives (KY) | F. Arrieta | Brian A. Lynch | TBA |
| 4 | Conceit (KY) | M. Gutierrez | Brad H. Cox | TBA |
| 5 | Movie Night (KY) | A. Concepcion | William Walden | TBA |
| 6 | A Fine Chardonnay (KY) | B. J. Hernandez Jr. | Ian R. Wilkes | TBA |
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The Dogwood Stakes is an important late-season sprint for 3-year-old fillies and has regularly attracted runners headed toward major fall races. The Grade III event is contested at 7 furlongs on the Churchill Downs dirt and carries a $300,000 purse.
The 2026 field is headlined by Grade I Test Stakes winner Explora, who enters off a dominant five-length victory at Saratoga and is using the Dogwood as her final prep toward the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Grade II Beaumont Stakes winner A Fine Chardonnay and Audubon Oaks winner Conceit give the six-filly field additional graded-stakes depth.
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The Dogwood Stakes has been a fixture at Churchill Downs for more than five decades and is named for the flowering dogwood trees associated with the Kentucky landscape.
The race has produced several high-class fillies, including Echo Zulu, Covfefe and My Mane Squeeze. Its seven-furlong distance has made it an important late-season test for 3-year-old fillies with championship sprint ambitions.
Ragtime won the 2025 Dogwood Stakes under jockey Junior Alvarado for trainer William I. Mott, completing the seven furlongs in 1:22.35.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ragtime | Junior Alvarado | 1:22.35 |
| 2024 | My Mane Squeeze | Luis Saez | 1:22.27 |
| 2023 | Lady Radler | Jesus Castanon | 1:22.71 |
| 2022 | Echo Zulu | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 1:22.43 |
| 2021 | Carribean Caper | Colby Hernandez | 1:22.57 |
The 2026 Dogwood Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, September 19 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It is Race 8 with a post time of 9:39 PM ET.
The Dogwood Stakes is contested at 7 furlongs on dirt.
The 2026 Dogwood Stakes carries a $300,000 purse.
The Dogwood Stakes is restricted to 3-year-old fillies.
Yes. The confirmed 2026 Dogwood Stakes field has six starters: Explora, My Steel Magnolia, Where Luck Lives, Conceit, Movie Night and A Fine Chardonnay.
An official morning line has not yet been published for the 2026 Dogwood Stakes. Explora enters as the most accomplished runner in the field after winning the Grade I Test Stakes by five lengths at Saratoga. The Bob Baffert-trained filly has also won the Santa Ynez, Honeybee and Leslie's Lady Stakes and is using the Dogwood as her final prep toward the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
The latest 2026 Dogwood Stakes odds are listed in the odds table above and will be updated once official prices are published.
The Dogwood Stakes is a Grade III dirt sprint for 3-year-old fillies held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is contested at 7 furlongs and carries a $300,000 purse in 2026.
The Dogwood Stakes is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
No. The 2026 Dogwood Stakes is not designated as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" race. However, the race can serve as an important prep for fillies targeting the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
You can bet the Dogwood Stakes online at BUSR. Create an account, fund your account, select Churchill Downs, choose the Dogwood Stakes and place your wager. BUSR also offers a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers.
Ragtime won the 2025 Dogwood Stakes under jockey Junior Alvarado for trainer William I. Mott, completing the seven furlongs in 1:22.35.
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