Explora looms large in Dogwood

In trainer Bob Baffert’s arsenal of two-year-old fillies last season were Explora and Consequent, both of whom look tough in separate stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Explora, a near champion at two, has evolved into the leading three-year-old filly sprinter this term. Exiting a five-length score in the Test (G1), she figures to be an overwhelming favorite in the $300,000 Dogwood (G3).

The Dogwood will serve as Explora’s final prep before the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland, also at seven furlongs. Explora faces just three-year-olds in the Dogwood, which makes her assignment potentially less taxing. Indeed, two of her five rivals, Where Luck Lives and Movie Night, were soundly beaten by Explora in the Test after stumbling starts.

The other leading contenders, then, might be Conceit and A Fine Chardonnay, one-two in the Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park. Conceit has not yet met Explora’s acquaintance, while A Fine Chardonnay finished well behind Explora in the June 7 Leslie’s Lady S. over the Dogwood track and distance.

Consequent, meanwhile, is one of six three-year-old fillies lining up in the $200,000 Seneca Overnight S. over 1 1/16 miles. The Juddmonte homebred won both starts at two, including the Starlet (G2) at Los Alamitos, but was subsequently out of action until July 24, when she captured a second-level allowance over a mile at Ellis.