Lady Joanne overcomes traffic to take Dogwood

Lady Joanne overcomes traffic to take Dogwood

Bentley L. Smith Revocable Trust's homebred LADY JOANNE (Orientate) found

room in the final furlong to catch a clear High Again (High Yield) and take the

$167,550 Dogwood Breeders' Cup

S. (G3) at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Trained

by Carl Nafzger and ridden by Calvin Borel, the bay filly broke alertly and

saved ground on the rail, tracking splits of :23 1/5 and :46 1/5 for the opening

half-mile. Turning for home, High Again opened up a clear advantage while Lady

Joanne was trapped behind horses, but a patient Borel angled out for room and

corralled the leader inside the sixteenth pole. The final time for one mile

on the fast main strip was 1:35 1/5, and the 6-5 favorite gave back $4.60, $2.60

and $2.20.

High Again traveled in third on the outside until the final turn and finished

2 3/4 lengths clear of the third spot. The runner-up paid $5 and $3.80 and

completed the $30.40 exacta as the 5-1 third choice. Upcoming Story (Tale of the

Cat) was next to last until midstretch before closing to earn the show as the

5-1 second choice. The chestnut was worth $3.80 and finished off the $111.20

trifecta. Pacesetter Moonee Ponds (Mizzen Mast) was another half-length back and

trailed by Gatorize (Exploit), Suaveness (Suave Prospect), Looky Yonder

(Johannesburg) and Silverinyourpocket (Silver Deputy). Girls Pearls (Talk Is

Money) was withdrawn.

Lady Joanne upped her career mark to 6-4-0-2 with earnings of $312,634. The

sophomore lass has reeled off three consecutive wins, including a score in the

Golden Rod S. (G2), to go along with a placing in the Pocahontas S. (G3).

The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State and produced from stakes-placed

Oatsee (Unbridled), making her a half-sister to three-time Grade 3 victress

Baghdaria (Royal Academy). Lady Joanne has a two-year-old full sister named

Haysee and an unnamed yearling half-sister by Langfuhr.

Nafzger said that Lady Joanne would now target the June 30 Mother Goose S.

(G1) at Belmont Park.

"She's ran great races, and she's tough," Nafzger said, "but she's still got

to beat the hammers -- and there are some hammers out there."