How to bet the 2026 Doubledogdare Stakes

A well-matched group of eight fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles over the Keeneland dirt in the Friday feature, the $400,000 Doubledogdare (G2). I feel as though the Brad Cox-trained #1 Alpine Princess (5-2) is the most consistent and logical contender in the cast and will give her the nod from the rail. By Classic Empire, the five-year-old won or placed in seven of her eight races in 2025, with each coming in the stakes ranks, and the mare kicked off this campaign with a good second in the Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The Kentucky-bred was flattered when Claret Beret, the lass who toppled her at Gulfstream most recently, came back to dominate the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park last weekend. Irad Ortiz will take the reins. 

Doubledogdare Wagers

• $12 win #1 Alpine Princess ($12)
• $6 exacta box 1-3 ($12)
• $1 trifecta 1,3 with 1,3,4,5 with 1,3,4,5 ($12)

#3 Eunomia (9-2) was third in the aforementioned Apple Blossom and will bring a spotless two-for-two mark at Keeneland to the affair for trainer Saffie Joseph. The Tiz the Law filly was last seen cruising home to a comfortable victory in the Sandy Bottom S. at Colonial Downs on March 14, and the four-year-old has really upped her game since focusing primarily on the dirt four back. The Kentucky-bred is quick, but she also has won from off the pace in the past, and the bay might sit an ideal trip from just in behind the early tempo on the backside on Friday. Flavien Prat will take the reins. 

#4 Gin Gin (2-1) was nearly off to be a broodmare at this time last year, but contested this race and ran off to a commanding, 5 1/4-length score over a very good field, prompting her connections to wisely keep her in training. The Calumet homebred has reached new heights since coming to conditioner Brendan Walsh, capped by an upset win in the Spinster (G1) on the course in the fall. The Hightail mare loves Keeneland, and she has posted some fast drills in advance of her seasonal debut, led by a rapid bullet four panels from the gate most recently. I expect Luis Saez to send the five-year-old to try to lead the cast early on. 

For the lower rungs of the gimmicks, Cotillion (G1) third #5 Ourdaydreaminggirl (20-1) is far from a win machine, but the Instagrand four-year-old often gets a share late while facing good competition and could help spike the vertical exotics with her best showing. The Louis Linder trainee didn’t fire at Aqueduct last out, but I’m willing to draw a line through that and use her at a big price beneath Jaime Torres.