By Patrycja Szpyra
She didn't have the greatest of beginnings, but 'TDN Rising Star' Ragtime (Union Rags) was flying late to nail the top flight and take home the hardware in the GIII Dogwood Stakes.
Racing without blinkers here, Ragtime broke a touch awkwardly and it left her with a lot to do as she found herself at the back of the field as a result. 'TDN Rising Star' Delightful Claire (Vekoma) stepped out to dictate the pace through an opening quarter in :22.84 and a half in :45.55, and was well clear of the closers as Mega Mil (Honor A.P.) loomed her most pressing danger in the homestretch.
A ways behind that unfolding duel on the front end, Ragtime had ridden the rail off the bend, but had a wall of horses in front of her with only a small chance at daylight to her outside. Sneaking into that hole as 28-1 longshot Strong State (Tom's d'Etat) came roaring from the far outside, Ragtime unleashed a devastating turn of foot to sail away from that challenger and win with air to spare. Delightful Claire held on for third.
The 'Rising Star' was last seen Aug. 2 running an ultra-game second to Kilwin (Twirling Candy) at Saratoga in the GI Test Stakes, where she lost the photo by a neck. Before that effort, she had been unbeaten in her young career with blow out wins at the venue against maidens June 6 as well as first-level allowance company July 5.
“She really ran a big race today,” said Bill Mott's assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy. “The team in New York did a great job with her before she came to Kentucky. Junior (Alvarado) did a great job not to panic after breaking slowly. She was able to have a target to run at and finished up really well.”
Alvarado could only confirm his filly's sensational effort. “She ran huge. Broke a little slow, relaxed and came with a big run.”
Ragtime and Junior Alvarado win the G3 Dogwood Stakes presented by @resracingky! pic.twitter.com/fFaCv65EmJ
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) September 20, 2025
Pedigree Notes:
Ragtime hails from an extremely busy female family, both from her sisters and further down in the pedigree. She is her dam's most recent to the races and has a yearling half-sister by Mystic Guide as the last registered offspring for that mare. Among Ragtime's half-sisters is GSW Snowbell (Tapit), who claims SW Twice as Sweet (Candy Ride {Arg}) as the dam and GSW Serendipity (Street Sense) as the granddam. Mrs. Norris (Bernardini) was stakes-placed in her racing career and claims SP Hedwig (Maclean's Music) as a son while her full-sister Mysterious Ways earned her fame via her daughters–Listed winner Stern Chaser (Astern {Aus}) and Listed-placed In a Spin (Hard Spun) A fourth half-sister, Bicolour (Tiznow), produced SP Carlisle Bay (Speightstown).
The first dam Burmilla is also a half-sibling to a graded winner and graded producer in addition to being one herself. Magicalmysterycat (Storm Cat) was a multiple graded winner, and later went on to claim GSP A.P. Magic (A.P. Indy) to her tally as well as being the granddam of GSP Pavlovian (Pavel). This is also the extended female family of MSP Jimmy's Dailys (Vekoma) and a fleet of Group 1 winners in Peru.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
DOGWOOD S. PRESENTED BY RESOLUTE RACING-GIII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 9-20, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.35, ft.
1–RAGTIME, 118, f, 3, by Union Rags
1st Dam: Burmilla (GSW, $170,285), by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Nannerl, by Valid Appeal
3rd Dam: Allouette, by Proud Birdie
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
$181,900. Lifetime Record: GISP, 4-3-1-0, $397,400. *1/2 to
Snowbell (Tapit), GSW, $373,490. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Strong State, 118, f, 3, Tom's d'Etat–Kram, by Colonel John.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($18,000 Ylg '23
KEEJAN). O-Highlander Training Center; B-WinStar Farm, LLC
(KY); T-Albert M. Stall, Jr.. $59,000.
3–Delightful Claire, 118, f, 3, Thousand Words–Izshelegal,
by Maria's Mon. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($65,000 Wlg '22 FTKNOV;
$250,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL). O-Rigney Racing LLC;
B-Gmbracstables LLC, Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Rangel & Mr. & Mrs.
Zachary Mad (KY); T-Philip A. Bauer. $29,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.98, 28.62, 2.72.
Also Ran: Mega Mil, Sturgeon Moon, Gerlin's Empire, Echo Sound. Scratched: Kay Cup. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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