Betting With, and Against, Echo Sound in the Dogwood Stakes

An octet of sophomore fillies will travel seven-eighths on the Churchill Downs main surface in Saturday’s $300,000 Dogwood S. (G3). Two-time Grade 3 heroine #1 Echo Sound (9-5) has been installed as the favorite in the deep field consisting of numerous quality fillies. 

Echo Sound – With

• $10 trifecta 1 with 4 with 3,7 ($20)
• $3 trifecta key 1 with 3,4,7 ($18)

Echo Sound – Against

• $3 trifecta key 4 with 1,3,7 ($18)
• $1 trifecta 3,4,7 with 1,3,4,7 with 1,3,4,7 ($18)

Trained by Rusty Arnold, Echo Sound registered a pair of graded wins to commence this campaign that earned her the favorite role in the Test S. (G1) at Saratoga, but the bay dueled early and tired late when checking in sixth on Aug. 2. The Echo Town sophomore was an allowance winner on this oval in September and also finished a nice second in the Fern Creek S. locally to conclude her two-year-old season. She can run from on or off the early tempo and will be a major threat with her best beneath Geroux. 

Bill Mott’s #4 Ragtime (2-1) is the obvious major danger to the favorite, having run three big races at Saratoga in succession to begin her career. The Union Rags lass fell just a neck short in the Test S. in her stakes bow most recently, and she has arguably the best turn of foot in the group. The Godolphin homebred has run solely at seven furlongs to this stage of her development, and she would not be a surprise with blinkers off in her initial run beneath the Twin Spires. Junior Alvarado retains the ride. 

The New York-bred #3 Kay Cup (8-1) has never run a bad one and will benefit from cutting back in distance for Abreu. The Instagrand filly dominated the Bouwerie S. at the distance two back in her lone effort at the trip and will bring pace to the race with Torres in the irons. 

Prioress S. (G3) runner-up #7 Delightful Claire (3-1) has flashed a lot of potential from a trio of lifetime races to date and could be a serious threat with another step in the right direction on Saturday. Phil Bauer's trainee was a close third on the surface at first asking and will stalk the action early on with Jose Ortiz on board.