2015 Iroquois Stakes Preview
The Road the 2016 Kentucky Derby gets underway with the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes from Churchill Downs. The Iroquois Stakes is also part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In Challenge Series. The winner will be guaranteed a spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in October.
The Iroquois Stakes will award 10 points to the winner, 4 points to second, 2 points to third, and one point to the fourth place finisher. The race will be run at 1 1/16 miles over Churchill’s main track with a purse of $150,000.
Post time is scheduled for 4:49 PM Eastern with the race carded as the ninth of 11 races and is right after the Pocahontas Stakes. Free past performances can be found here under Saturday, September 12 and race number 9. Entries are listed below in the table.
| Post Position | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conquest Windycity | Shaun Bridgmohan | Mark Casse | 7-2 |
| 2 | Meeteetse Fly | Joe Johnson | Kenneth McPeek | 15-1 |
| 3 | Expected Ruler | Wilmer Garcia | Liam Benson | 5-1 |
| 4 | Condominium | Jon Court | D. Wayne Lukas | 8-1 |
| 5 | Unbridled Outlaw | Corey Lanerie | Dale Romans | 4-1 |
| 6 | Cocked and Loaded | Emmanuel Esquivel | Larry Rivelli | 6-1 |
| 7 | Star Hill | Jose Ortiz | George Arnold | 10-1 |
| 8 | Dothat Dance | Marcelino Pedroza | Jimmy Corrigan | 20-1 |
| 9 | Missle Bomb | Victor Lebron | Darrin Miller | 15-1 |
| 10 | Rated R Superstar | Calvin Borel | Kenneth McPeek | 8-1 |
| 11 | Twirling Cinnamon | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Brad Cox | 12-1 |
| 12 | Baychimo | Paco Lopez | Kelly Breen | 30-1 |
1. Conquest Windycity – He has only one start and it was a good one. He went 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga over the turf from the rail. He had a good trip midpack for most of the race and ran on in the stretch to get second only 1 1/4 lengths off the winner. He is bred to love the turf out of Tiznow and an A.P. Indy mare. He is the tepid favorite here and has a good chance like many others in this race.
2. Meeteetse Fly – Like the horse to his inside, he too has only one start and that came on the turf course over at Ellis Park. He went one mile that day and was stuck in the outside post from the nine hole. He settled at the back of the field before moving up on the backstretch, he went 5 five entering the stretch, and then started to pull away in the final sixteenth of a mile. There is dirt influence in the pedigree, but the question is can he up his game against better horses in this spot? The feeling here is probably not.
3. Expected Ruler – He is yet another that made his debut on turf, but he did so going only 5 furlongs and also in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth. He sat in the middle of the field off a fast pace of 21 2/5 and 44 4/5 while finding his way through on the rail. He blew up the tote board at a massive 47-1 and his price will not be anywhere close to that today. He seems more suited towards the turf with his pedigree, but the distance should not be an issue. Interesting horse, but also has some question marks.
4. Condominium – We arrive at our first horse in the field to have made a start on dirt. His debut was a poor one up at Saratoga going 5.5 furlongs. He pressed the pace and then faded badly to finish 8th by 16 lengths. His second race was far better as he broke from the rail and tried to wire the field. He had a clear lead, but could not hold off his foe in the final furlong finishing second by 2 1/2 lengths. He was nearly 7 lengths clear of third as well. His pedigree says there will be no issues with the distance. We know he will be going straight to the front, but can he hold them off for 8.5 furlongs?
5. Unbridled Outlaw – His debut was here at Churchill Downs going 6 furlongs in late June. He broke well in that debut, but was soon near the back of the field and had to rally in the stretch. He made a solid rally in the stretch to finish 3rd by 3 1/4 lengths. He was then sent to Ellis Park next out where he got the job done. He had an odd start where he broke from the rail and ended up hitting the rail, but he was able to sit off the pace and rally to win by half a length. Once again, he is another that is bred to go long and has a solid chance in this race.
6. Cocked and Loaded – He made a very early start in his career with an April debut at Keeneland. He had a poor start to that race when he broke outward, but was able to rally on the turn and in the stretch to win by a length. He made his second start at Belmont in the Tremont where he broke on top of the field, but ended up sitting behind the leaders and rallying to win by a half-length. Up next was the Grade 3 Sanford where sat midpack, but had nothing in the lane while finishing 6th beaten 3 1/2 lengths. His latest start was at Arlington in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity. There, he had another good trip off the speed, but offered little in the lane finishing fifth by 7 1/2 lengths. He is bred to go long, which may do the trick for him, but he has also been trending the wrong way on numbers and form.
7. Star Hill – He has a lone maiden race at Saratoga to his credit. He settled midpack, but was more than five or six lengths off the lead until the turn when he made his move. He moved up in the stretch, switched out, and just missed second while finishing 3rd by 2 1/4 lengths. He is bred to go long, but may find the turf more suitable for his breeding. However, he is an interesting long shot and cannot be discounted underneath in the exotics.
8. Dothat Dance – His career started here at Churchill Downs going five furlongs. he was off slow and made a mild rally in the stretch to finish 5th in a field of 6 by 7 1/4 lengths. The connections decided to enter him in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs in his next race where he broke slow and had another mild finish in the stretch. He managed to finish fourth, but was beaten 11 lengths. His most recent start came late in August at Indiana Grand where he was entered on turf going 7.5 furlongs in a maiden race. He broke awkwardly and slow again in this race before finishing fourth by 5 1/2 lengths. He will need to break better and have a much better rally to even contend here.
9. Missle Bomb – His only two races came at Arlington Park. In his debut, he broke from the rial and managed to rally for second in the shadow of the wire, but was no match for the winner losing by 7 3/4 lengths. His next start was against stakes company in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity and he sat off the pace, but once again was no match for the winner. He finished third by 5 lengths that day and will now make is first start around two turns. His last workout was excellent going four furlongs in 47 4/5, but he is also facing some good competition. Tough call to make on him…
10. Rated R Superstar – His debut came in the same race as Unbridled Outlaw’s maiden breaking score. He pressed the pace throughout, but could not fend off the eventual winner losing by only a half-length. He came back last out to press the pace again, but this time he drew off to win by 5 lengths again at Ellis Park. He will be sent to the front in this spot and will have some company in the form of Condominium. Can he put him away as well as the others from out here?
11. Twirling Cinnamon – He made his debut here at Churchill in mid-June. He broke well, sat off the pace behind the dueling leaders, encountered some slight traffic issues, and came on late to grab the win by a nose. He was then sent to Saratoga for the Grade 3 Sanford, but he was unable to make an impact while racing wide most of the way. He finished 8th of 10 that day by 6 3/4 lengths. He will need to work out a good trip from this post.
12. Baychim0 – He made his only two appearances at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. He was outrun early in his debut, but made a decent rally in the stretch. He was no match for the top two as he finished third by 8 1/4 lengths, but he was 5 3/4 lengths clear of the fourth place finisher. In his second start, he was off the pace early on, but made a nice sweeping four wide move on the turn and into the stretch to give him a lead he was able to hold on to. He won by 3/4 of a length in the end. He has the pedigree to run long, but the far outside post does not help his chances.
Selections
This is a tough race to decipher due to many variables. Some horses are making their dirt debut while others have not been longer than six furlongs. It is hard to take a favorite here, but there are not as many worries regarding #1 Conquest Windycity from the rail. We will not want too short of a price, but given the field, this is not too much of a worry. For second we will look to #9 Missle Bomb. He ran evenly in his two races, but the extra distance should help him and he will be a solid price. #5 Unbridled Outlaw should be able to work out a good trip in here and has the credentials to win this race. #7 Star Hill ran a sneaky good race in his debut and despite finishing third, has a chance to make noise on the stretch out. #4 Condominium will certainly take them as far as he can, which makes him a must include on the tickets if he can get a clear lead again.
Top selection – #1 Conquest Windycity
2nd selection – #9 Missle Bomb
3rd selection – #5 Unbridled Outlaw
4th selection – #7 Star Hill
Check back on Saturday evening for a recap of the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes.