Cocked And Loaded Wins Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes
Cocked and Loaded sat off the dueling leaders and made his move on the turn while having enough in the stretch to win the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. The Iroquois Stakes is the first race on the Road to the 2016 Kentucky Derby.
The pair of Condominium and Expected Ruler went off to the lead right away with Missle Bomb and Cocked and Loaded behind by 5 1/2 lengths. Unbridled Outlaw was sixth, Rated R Superstar was seventh, Star Hill was eighth, and Baychimo was ninth. Conquest Windycity was settled in tenth early on while Meeteetse Fly was biding his time in 11th, about 18 lengths off the lead.
The duo of Condominium and Expected Ruler sped out to an opening quarter in 22.69 and a half mile in 46.29 by themselves. As the two leaders began to tire, Cocked and Loaded took over with Rated R Superstar making a big move from seventh to move up to second. Conquest Windycity also made a big move going from tenth to third on the far turn while wide.
The rest of the field was not a threat expect for one glaring horse. That was Unbridled Outlaw who was completely stopped on the far turn due to a tiring Expected Ruler. He took up sharply, but was able to re-rally to finish third in an impressive race. Conquest Windycity could not sustain his bid and finished fourth.
The remaining order of finish was Baychimo in fifth, Star Hill sixth, Meeteetse Fly seventh, Twirling Cinnamon eighth, Missle Bomb ninth, Condominium tenth, and Expected Ruler last of 11. Dothat Dance was scratched early in the morning and did not run. The full chart can be found here courtesy of Equibase.
Cocked and Loaded is out of Colonel John by the Malibu Moon mare Catch the Moon. He paid $21.00 to win, $10.00 to place, and $6.00 to show. He was ridden by Emmanuel Esquivel and trained by Larry Rivelli.
The top four from this race will also occupy the top four spots of the Kentucky Derby Points Leaderboard. Cocked and Loaded received 10 points, Rated R Superstar received 4 points, Unbridled Outlaw received 2 points, and Conquest Windycity received 1 point.
The Iroquois Stakes is also a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in October.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby will make its next stop at Santa Anita in two weeks with the Grade 1 Front Runner on September 26.