Norah G Tests Graded Stakes Competition in Dogwood

Thomas Galvin's multiple Louisiana-bred stakes winner Norah G  will face nine rivals in the featured $300,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) Sept. 23 amid evening racing during "Downs After Dark" at Churchill Downs. 

Norah G, trained by Patricia West, will make her first start outside Louisiana but ships to Kentucky with a solid resume that includes victories in the Louisiana Futurity at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Louisiana Downs. Norah G last competed Aug. 27 at Louisiana Downs on turf, where she showed her versatility and easily defeated nine rivals by two lengths. Jockey Rey Gutierrez will have the call from post No. 8 on the 12-1 shot.

The Dogwood field features several accomplished fillies all searching for graded status, including Pea Patch Stakes runner-up Twice as Sweet  for owner/breeder Godolphin; Catherine Sophia Stakes runner-up Yesternight ; Audubon Oaks runner-up and third-place finishers Flamand  and Santa Fe Gold ; Valdale Stakes winner B G Warrior ; and allowance winner Alexa Lou  for trainer Dallas Stewart. The field is completed by Rocket Ship Racing's Metaphysical  and Lady Radler  for Mellon Patch.

Yesternight is favored at 3-1 on the morning line.

Slip Mahoney Seeks First Stakes WIN in Bourbon Trail

Gold Square's multiple stakes placed 3-year-old Slip Mahoney  will try to win his first stakes contest in the third running of the $300,000 Bourbon Trail, a 1 1/16-mile stakes carded as race 7.

The field of seven runners is completed with the winning Brad Cox trainee Manciata d'Oro , the three-time stakes-placed Denington , U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas (G3) second Shirl's Bee , last out winner Oscar Eclipse , the Victoria Oliver trainee Lincoln Highway , and Sept. 2 Super Derby Stakes (G3) winner Big Data .

SPA Winner Mount Up Rises into Stakes in Harrods Creek

St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Robert Masiello's ultra-consistent Mount Up , a recent allowance winner at Saratoga Race Course, headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Harrods Creek Stakes, a seven-furlong race which will go off as race 8.

The field is completed by Bourbon Bash , a stakes-placed runner for Wayne Lukas, stakes-placed Determinedly , Ellis Park Derby third Loyal Company , last-out winner Bouncer , Everso Mischievous , who has not finished off the board for Qatar Racing, and Sprint Stakes second Praetorian Guard .

Black Eyed Susan Winner Taxed in Action in Seneca

Richard Bahde's former $50,000 claimer turned grade 2 winner Taxed  leads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in the third running of the $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race.

The ninth race also includes trainer Dallas Stewart's grade 3 placed runner Sabra Tuff , She's Lookin Lucky , Godolphin's Poblano , Champagne Calling , grade 3 winner Fun and Feisty , Tepin Stakes winner Xigera , and Nomadic Pride , a last-out winner for trainer Tom Amoss. 

Returning to dirt after competing on turf is Rigney Racing's Xigera, who ran third in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) last fall at Keeneland in her only dirt appearance.

"This race worked out well timing-wise for us to run at Churchill and not ship anywhere. She trains well on the dirt here," trainer Phil Bauer said.