Nearly 18 months ago, Godolphin unveiled a homebred filly named Tarifa at Keeneland. That afternoon, she cruised to a 6-length victory over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet.

On Friday, Tarifa will make her first Keeneland start since the debut in the 30th running of the $350,000 Baird Doubledogdare (G3) for fillies and mares.

In the interim, a lot has happened for Tarifa, who is closing in on millionaire status with three Grade 2 victories on her resume.

“She just shipped up here Monday from Payson Park (training center in South Florida) where she wintered very well,” said Blake Cox, son of and assistant to trainer Brad Cox. “She has put on weight and is doing well.”

Tarifa closed her 2024 campaign with a runner-up finish in the Falls City (G3) at Churchill Downs and then faced Grade 1 competition in the B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Presented by FanDuel at Santa Anita on March 8.

“It was a Grade 1,” Cox said in explaining the decision to ship cross country for Tarifa’s 2025 debut in which she finished third. “She already was Grade 1-placed (from a third in the Cotillion), and now she is Grade 1-placed twice.”

Even though the Baird Doubledogdare is a Grade 3 event, the stakes is not short on Grade 1 talent with the likes of 2023 Eclipse Award winner Just F Y I and 2023 Darley Alcibiades (G1) winner Candied in the field for the 1 1/16-mile test.

“It is a tough race, but we felt it was better suited for her than waiting for the ($1 million) La Troienne (G1) and having to face Kenny’s filly,” Cox said.

Kenny’s filly? That would be trainer Kenny McPeek’s reigning Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna, who defeated Tarifa in their two meetings last year: the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Cotillion.