Churchill Downs Update: Conceit Takes Aim at Grade I Winner Explora in Saturday's Dogwood

Sep 17, 2026

Juddmonte’s Audubon Oaks winner Conceit will try to continue her rise Saturday when she takes aim at Grade I winner Explora in the $300,000 Dogwood Stakes presented by Resolute Racing (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Brad Cox, Conceit enters the Dogwood following consecutive victories at Churchill Downs and Ellis Park. The daughter of Not This Time most recently defeated fellow Dogwood rival A Fine Chardonnay in the $200,000 Audubon Oaks on Aug. 9 at Ellis Park, earning a career-best 98 Brisnet Speed Rating.

“She’s a smaller type of filly but always on her toes and ready to train,” Cox’s assistant trainer Katie Tolbert said. “She’s happy and always tugging her rider around. We can’t really ask more than that going into the race. We know she’ll be up against some tough fillies but she always shows up and tries hard.”

Conceit will break from post No. 4 under jockey Mario Gutierrez.

Standing in her way is 3-5 morning-line favorite Explora, who enters the Dogwood following a five-length victory in the $500,000 Test Stakes (GI) on Aug. 8 at Saratoga. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Explora has won five of eight starts and more than $1.5 million while proving effective around both one and two turns. Prior to the Test, she won the seven-furlong $225,000 Leslie’s Lady (Listed) at Churchill Downs and earlier this season captured the $750,000 Honeybee (GIII) at Oaklawn before finishing fourth in the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Explora continued her preparations for Saturday’s race by schooling in the paddock Thursday morning after training. Southern California-based jockey Juan Hernandez will have the mount from the rail.

The complete lineup from the rail out for the seven-furlong Dogwood, which goes as the evening’s eighth race at 9:39 p.m. (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Explora (Juan Hernandez, Baffert, 3-5)
My Steel Magnolia (Cristian Torres, Caio Caramori, 30-1)
Where Luck Lives (Tyler Gaffalione, Brian Lynch, 12-1)
Conceit (Gutierrez, Cox, 7-2)
Movie Night (Axel Concepcion, Will Walden, 9-2)
A Fine Chardonnay (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes, 6-1)
Saturday night is Downs After Dark: Oktoberfest, featuring nighttime racing, German-inspired food and drinks, traditional entertainment and live music, will highlight a busy five-day week of racing and special events at Churchill Downs.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.churchilldowns.com.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Live racing continued Thursday evening for another Twilight Thursday that featured $2 domestic beer live music by The Dad Bods and local food offerings from Big Nita’s Cheesecake and Mimo’s Pizza. The eight-race card had carryovers of $37,166 in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot and $360,630 in the $1 Jackpot 8. First post is 5 p.m. … Guests traveling to Churchill Downs this weekend should expect heavier traffic due to multiple events in the area, including the four-day Louder Than Life music festival and Saturday’s University of Louisville and SMU football game at 3:30 p.m., and are encouraged to use I-264 and Taylor Boulevard to access the track’s frontside parking lots. … “Inside Churchill Downs” returns Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. The one-hour show will preview Saturday’s card at Churchill Downs and look at some of the other notable races around the country. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com.