Undefeated Dazzling Dame tops Pocahontas, Road to Kentucky Oaks opener

Sep 08, 2025 Churchill Downs Racetrack Communications

Dazzling Dame wins the Sorority (Photo by Julia Sebastianelli/EQUI-PHOTO)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Monday, Sept. 8, 2025) – Respect the Valley’s undefeated 2-year-old filly Dazzling Dame will look to begin her Road to the Kentucky Oaks on Saturday when she faces five rivals in the 57th running of the $300,000 Pocahontas (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The one-mile Pocahontas is the opening race of the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” a series that awards qualifying points toward a berth in the 152nd running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 1, 2026. The Pocahontas will go as Race 6 at 3:21 p.m. (all times Eastern) on Saturday’s 11-race program, which begins at 12:45 p.m.

Other stakes on the card include the $300,000 Iroquois (GIII), the Pocahontas’ counterpart on the Road to the Kentucky Derby; $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove (GII); $300,000 Open Mind (Listed); and $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society (Listed).

Trained by Brittany Russell, Dazzling Dame is a perfect 2-for-2 to begin her career. The daughter of Girvin debuted against Maryland-bred company at Laurel with a 5 3/4-length score and then shipped to Monmouth Park to capture the Sorority Stakes by two lengths as the 6-5 favorite. Luis Saez has the mount in the Pocahontas from post 6.

Dazzling Dame makes it 2-for-2 to start her career with a front running win under @JevianToledo in the Sorority Stakes at @MonmouthPark for Respect The Valleys! pic.twitter.com/ZOxgsjBlVt

— Brittany Russell Racing Stable (@BTRracingstable) August 17, 2025

Her opposition includes Shamrock Stables and MJM Racing’s Our Two Girls, who won on debut at Ellis Park for trainer Kenny McPeek. In that race, the daughter of Uncle Mo rallied from just off the pace to defeat 10 rivals by 2 1/4 lengths. Brian Hernandez Jr. rides in the Pocahontas from post 5.

McPeek has won the Pocahontas a record four times: VV’s Dream (2023), Fun and Feisty (2022), Daddys Lil Darling (2016) and Dothraki Queen (2015).

The field for the Pocahontas in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Starlit Sky (Tyler Gaffalione, George Weaver
Miss Complicated (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes)
Taken by the Wind (Irad Ortiz Jr., McPeek)
Joke Maker (Luan Machado, Rodolphe Brisset)
Our Two Girls (Hernandez, McPeek)
Dazzling Dame (Saez, Russell)
Embrace the Moment (Jaime Rodriguez, Greg Compton)

The top five finishers in the Pocahontas will receive qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale towards the Kentucky Oaks.

The race is also a part of the Breeders’ Cup “Dirt Dozen” which awards the top three nominated finishers partial entry credits to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Friday, Oct. 31 at Del Mar.

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