Tag: Dogwood

Veteran, Trainer Jeff Hiles Seeks First Stakes Win With Shesa Mystery In Dogwood

Jeff Hiles launched his training career just four years ago but the 41-year-old United States Marine Corp. veteran is poised to record his first stakes victory with 3-year-old filly Shesa Mystery in Saturday's $275,000 Dogwood (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs.

Owned by John Gaynor's Let It Ride Stables, Shesa Mystery enters Saturday's seven-furlong Dogwood with a lifetime record of 5-2-1-0 with $84,332 in purse earnings. The chestnut filly by Verrazano broke her maiden four starts ago at Indiana Grand by 4 ¾ lengths and returned three weeks later to score a 2 ¾-length first-level allowance victory.

“We're really excited about her in this spot,” Hiles said. “She's coming into this race in great shape. (Carribean Caper) is a really nice filly for (trainer) Al (Stall Jr.) but if she can handle the shortened distance I think she'll run a big effort.”

Shesa Mystery finished second two starts ago in the $225,000 Iowa Oaks (GIII) and enters Saturday's affair with an enigmatic seventh-place finish in the $100,000 Pucker Up (G3) over the turf.

Hiles is quietly having a solid year hitting at a 25 percent win-clip with 13 wins from 53 starters. His purse earnings of $313,761 are higher than his first three years of his training career combined.

Fans may recognize Hiles as the son of veteran Kentucky-based conditioner Rick Hiles. Prior to starting his career in 2018, Hiles served as the Churchill Downs-based assistant to Kenny McPeek.

Shesa Mystery is based at Highpointe Farm and Training Center which is located in La Grange, Ky., about 45 minutes northeast of Churchill Downs.

The Dogwood drew a compact field of seven 3-year-old fillies and was carded as Race 8 with a post time of 4:22 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday's 11-race card features a stakes trio including the inaugural runnings of the $275,000 Bourbon Trail® and $275,000 Harrods Creek, both for 3-year-olds. First post is 12:45 p.m.

The complete Dogwood field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

  1. Coppelia (Martin Garcia, Phil Bauer, 15-1)
  2. Carribean Caper (Colby Hernandez, Stall, even-money)
  3. Li'l Tootsie (James Graham, Tom Amoss, 3-1)
  4. Malloy (Joe Talamo, Wayne Catalano, 10-1)
  5. Shesa Mystery (Miguel Mena, Hiles, 10-1)
  6. Patty H (Julien Leparoux, Mike Miceli, 7-2)
  7. Someone Said So (Adam Beschizza, Coty Rosin, 15-1)

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Undefeated Carribean Caper Headlines Saturday’s $275,000 Dogwood

Columbine Stable's undefeated 3-year-old filly Carribean Caper will attempt to land her fifth consecutive victory Saturday as the likely favorite in the 46th running of the $275,000 Dogwood Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The seven-furlong Dogwood drew a compact field of seven 3-year-old fillies and was carded as Race 8 with a post time of 4:22 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday's 11-race card features a stakes trio including the inaugural runnings of the $275,000 Bourbon Trail and $275,000 Harrods Creek, both for 3-year-olds. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Al Stall Jr., Carribean Caper began her career at Fair Grounds with a scintillating eight-length score. The daughter of Speightstown then cruised to a 4 ½-length first-level allowance victory at Keeneland. Following three months away from the races, Carribean Caper returned in a conditioned allowance event at Ellis Park where she dominated four rivals by 4 ½ lengths. In her most recent start, the Kentucky-bred defeated Magic Quest by one-length in the $100,000 Audubon Oaks at Ellis. Colby Hernandez, who has been aboard Carribean Caper for all four of her lifetime starts, will ride from post No. 2.

Saturday's Dogwood field also includes Joel Politi's Li'l Tootsie and Let It Ride Stables' Shesa Mystery, who are both graded stakes placed in their young careers.

The complete Dogwood field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Coppelia (Martin Garcia, Phil Bauer)
  2. Carribean Caper (Hernandez, Stall)
  3. Li'l Tootsie (James Graham, Tom Amoss)
  4. Malloy (Joe Talamo, Wayne Catalano)
  5. Shesa Mystery (Miguel Mena, Jeff Hiles)
  6. Patty H (Julien Leparoux, Mike Miceli)
  7. Someone Said So (Adam Beschizza, Coty Rosin)

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Thursday-Sunday. Thursday's eight-race card has a first post of 5 p.m. for Twilight Thursday presented by Blue Moon. The evening features $1 Blue Moon and select domestic beer, local food trucks and live music from Kr8vN8vs. Racing on Friday-Sunday will have a first post of 12:45 p.m. Tickets and more information for racing this week can be found at www.ChurchillDowns.com/tickets.

Fans who are unable to make it to Churchill Downs for the races can download and watch all the action on the Churchill Downs LIVE app. The Churchill Downs LIVE app is available free of charge on Amazon, Apple TV and Roku and features full access to the HD live stream of the Churchill Downs simulcast signal and three additional angles including the Saddling Paddock.

Select action from Saturday's card at Churchill Downs are also scheduled to air from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 2 as part of “America's Day at the Races.”

Wagering is available on www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks.

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