When the prestigious Saratoga Race Course meet begins on Wednesday, July 23 in upstate New York, Dogwood Stable will be there in full force – with 28 horses, both veterans and juveniles, many of whom are solid stakes contenders.

Dogwood Stable was Leading Owner at Saratoga in 1994. Since that year, the stable has been second in the standings three times (1996, 1998 and 2006), was third in 2004, and fourth in 2005.

“Our battle cry is ‘Saratoga.’ We are bringing every horse to Saratoga that seems to have any business there,” said Dogwood President Cot Campbell. “Though our top two-year-olds are late this year, we hope to ring the bell with a couple of youngsters. But Saratoga is tough as hell!”

Among the stable’s stakes contenders is the battle-hardened six-year-old turf gelding Prince Rahy, who is eyeing the Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap on August 3. Prince Rahy has earned $215,975 – with three wins, five seconds and nine thirds from 27 lifetime starts. A recent winner of an allowance race at Belmont, Prince Rahy is trained by Frank Alexander.

Graded stakes winner Drum Major has been a steady performer for Dogwood throughout the years, and especially at Saratoga last year, where he finished second in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap and third in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. Plans are to run Drum Major in an allowance race on July 27, which will set him up nicely for a return engagement in the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch on August 23. The six-year-old Drum Major has earned $405,658 and is trained by George Weaver.

Two-year-old winner Kickapoo – who set a track record in his second start at Monmouth Park in May – is scheduled to run in the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special on August 14. The colt, an Aiken Trials winner, is trained by Todd Pletcher.

New York-bred four-year-old filly Street Sass, a stakes winner of $128,881, has several race options, including the $80,000 Fleet Indian Stakes on July 30.

Atoned was on the Derby trail for Dogwood into April, but has now regrouped and will run Saturday, July 12, at Monmouth Park in the $150,000 Long Branch Breeders’ Cup Stakes. This colt is a prospect for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes, presented by Shadwell Stable on August 23. Atoned has run in eight stakes during his 11 race career and earned $240,757. He’s been second in Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes and the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby. The colt is also trained Pletcher.

Another stakes-caliber runner is the four-year-old Admiral Bird, who was a recent allowance winner in New York, before a disqualification placed him fourth. He will run back on July 23 in an allowance race, then eye several turf stakes. Admiral Bird is trained by Christophe Clement.

Dogwood’s trainers at Saratoga include Todd Pletcher, George Weaver, Christophe Clement, David Carroll, Dale Romans, Frank Alexander, and Mark Hennig.