Grade 1 winner Explora will return to Churchill Downs on September 19 as the headline runner in a six horse field for the $300,000 Dogwood Stakes.
The Grade 3 contest is scheduled for seven furlongs and will be Race 8 on Churchill Downs’ Saturday evening program. First post for the card is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the Dogwood scheduled for 9:39 p.m. Eastern.
Explora returns after Test Stakes victory
Explora enters for trainer Bob Baffert after a five length victory in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga. Her 2026 campaign has also included victories in the Santa Ynez, Honeybee and Leslie’s Lady before her Test success.
She also has important Churchill Downs experience. Explora finished fourth in the Kentucky Oaks earlier this season before returning to shorter distances. Juan Hernandez has the mount from post 1.
Dogwood Stakes field
The official field, in post position order, is Explora, My Steel Magnolia, Where Luck Lives, Conceit, Movie Night and A Fine Chardonnay.
A Fine Chardonnay brings Grade 2 winning form, while Conceit enters after winning the Audubon Oaks. Their presence gives Explora accomplished opposition in a compact field.
A strong Saturday night program
The Dogwood is one of three stakes on the September 19 program. The $300,000 Harrods Creek brings together three year old males, while the $200,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes is another opportunity for three year old fillies.
The timing also makes the Dogwood useful form for the final portion of the season. Explora has already demonstrated top level ability at seven furlongs, while several rivals have an opportunity to strengthen their profiles against a Grade 1 winner.
OTB Bet will follow the official result and update its coverage when the race is complete.
Source
Field, race conditions and scheduling information were verified through the official Churchill Downs stakes advance published September 12, 2026.
Featured image: Thoroughbred racing at Churchill Downs, photo by Jeff Kubina, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.0.
