Runway Model May Shake Doldrums in Dogwood

(from Churchill Downs release)
With Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Summerly out of Saturday's $150,000 Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III) at Churchill Downs, Runway Model takes over the favorite's role in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies.

The 1 1/16-mile event anchors a 10-race card on Belmont Stakes day in Louisville.

Runway Model can turn around a frustrating season with a victory in the Dogwood, a race that includes a $50,000 purse supplement from the Breeders' Cup Stakes program.

Naveed Chowhan's daughter of Petionville   established herself as one of thetop juvenile fillies last year with victories in the Golden Rod (gr. II) at Churchill Downs and the Darley Alcibiades (gr. II) at Keeneland. She then finished a troubled third behind champion Sweet Catomine in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).

But she has failed to win in four starts as a 3-year-old for trainer Bernie Flint while facing top fillies. She has lost twice to Summerly, a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks and a third-place effort in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II). She was a distant second to Sis City in the Ashland (gr. I) at Keeneland and a non-threatening fourth to Spun Sugar on a "sloppy" track in the Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) at Pimlico.

Runway Model gets the services of jockey Pat Day, Churchill Downs' all-time leading rider and stakes winner, as she seeks to snap her losing streak.

The favorite's eight rivals in the Dogwood include a rising star in Atlas Valley. The Carl Nafzger-trained daughter of Capote scored an impressive allowance victory at the Dogwood distance on Kentucky Oaks Day and has been installed as the 7-2 second choice in the morning line. Veteran Larry Melancon will ride.

Other contenders include Gallant Secret, who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks, and Culinary, who makes her second start of the year after winning the Arlington-Washington Lassie (gr. III) at 2.

$150,000-added Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/6 mile
PP. Horse (Weight), Jockey, ML Odds
1. Culinary (120), Robby Albarado, 6-1
2. Caroline's Gold (116), Mark Guidry, 6-1
3. Gallant Secret (116), James Graham, 4-1
4. She's That Cat (116), Orlando Mojica, 15-1
5. Atlas Valley (116), Larry Melancon, 7-2
6. Kota (116), John McKee, 10-1
7. Miss Matched (116), Shaun Bridgmohan, 8-1
8. Runway Model (122), Pat Day, 5-2
9. Steal The Show (116), Brian Hernandez, Jr., 20-1