2024 Iroquois Stakes Preview

It may feel like the Triple Crown just ended, but the road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins Saturday, September 14, at Churchill Downs. The $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3), which covers one mile on the dirt, offers 10-5-3-2-1 points to its top five finishers. Though the race does not offer enough points to get a horse into the field come the first Saturday in May, it gets horses who ran well on the right track, gives them experience, and could make the difference if things get close on the points list for the fastest two minutes in American horse racing.

The 2024 Iroquois drew a field of 12 led by Ellis Park Juvenile winner Owen Almighty, smart Saratoga maiden winner Jonathan’s Way, and Bashford Manor winner Politicallycorrect. With lightly raced horses so liable to step up at any time, however, this race should be a thrilling divisional preview as well as a great betting event.

Though it is not a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race, the winner of the Iroquois does earn partial entry fees for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile through the Dirt Dozen program. And, horses who run well in the race typically continue into that picture. Watch for the top few horses to return in further preps for both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as well as the Kentucky Derby.

2024 Iroquois Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, September 14
• Track: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
• Post Time: 4:55 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 mile on the dirt
• Age/Sex: two-year-olds
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Iroquois Stakes Draw and Odds

This is the 12-horse field for the 2024 Iroquois, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds for each runner.

Iroquois Stakes Prep Race Results

Only three of the runners come out of stakes races. The top two finishers in the Ellis Park Juvenile run it back in the Iroquois; at Ellis, Owen Almighty battled on the pace and drew off to beat Politicallycorrect by 4 ½ lengths. First Resort returns to Kentucky after a second-place outing in the Saratoga Special (G2), where he set a contested pace and finished second, 2 ¾ lengths behind Showcase.

The other nine horses in the field all come out of maiden special weight victories. All of those runners graduated on dirt tracks except for Giocoso, who broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles on the Ellis lawn on August 5. The only other one of the maiden winners who will not be stretching out in trip for the Iroquois is Strummin, who graduated at a mile at Ellis on August 26.

Iroquois Stakes Contenders

These are the 12 runners in the race, organized by post position.

1. First Resort: He is bred nicely for the stretch out, being by Uncle Mo out of Fair Maiden, a Grade 1-placed juvenile at a mile on the lawn. The rail draw is a concern, especially with other speed outside of him, though he was able to battle on the pace and keep on running in both of his starts so far, giving some suggestion that he could handle the post.
2. Giocoso: He broke his maiden third time out at Ellis Park last month. The distance should be no problem, as he will actually be turning back in trip for this, and he handled large fields well in each of his last two starts. However, the switch to dirt is a question: the slow start on debut means perhaps that affected him, but he did really wake up when he switched to the lawn.
3. Jack’s Time: He has raced just once, so he cedes experience to the rest of the field. He overcame a slow start to bounce to the lead, set the pace, and win by double-digit lengths on that debut. His pedigree suggests a mile should be fine, though graded-stakes horses at Churchill Downs will be tougher customers than the runners he faced in Iowa.
4. Authentic Strike: He has raced just once, but there are several things about his maiden win that give him upside and price potential in the Iroquois. He set a pressured pace and won a long battle down the lane, showing that he is game. That win also came at seven furlongs on dirt, a positive for handling this one-turn mile, another extended one-turn trip.
5. Owen Almighty: The morning-line favorite, he is one of only two stakes winners and one of only two two-time winners in the field. He battled on the pace before clearing off late last time in the Ellis Park Juvenile, but also stalked and pounced in his maiden win. These show he has both tactical speed and gameness up front. With a switch to proven big-race rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., he has upside—not to mention, with rain in the forecast, him being by Speightstown out of a Bayern mare means he was born to run on slop.
6. Strummin: With six starts already, he is the most experienced horse in the field. It’s a positive that his only poor attempt came on the grass, and it is also a positive that he ran a good second in his only off-track attempt, a maiden sprint on the slop back in May. Coming second off a freshening he could be in good form, and he broke his maiden first off that break—he’ll likely be ignored on the tote, but he has some upside to rally late for a piece underneath.
7. Sandman: He was well beaten on debut at Churchill, but moved forward nicely to graduate at Saratoga next out over a seven-furlong trip. Trainer Mark Casse tends to do well with last-out maiden winners, and his tactical speed, pedigree, and seven-furlong form all bode well for him running a good race at the one-turn mile. Demand some price given the possibility that he may not like Churchill, since that track is love-it-or-hate-it, but the distance and experience help.
8. Magnitude: He chased midfield and kept on for second on debut in a baby race in early June over this course, but made the top and drew off second-out going seven furlongs at Ellis. The issue is whether he needs the lead; if he does, he’ll be fighting with several other foes in this spot. But, especially if he can do well from just off the pace, he is going the right way.
9. Firmus: His debut was promising in the sense that he tracked in range and then took over in the lane to win. However, that race came back on the slow side, meaning he’ll have to show some more to be competitive against this kind of group. The potential is there: he is by Curlin out of Farrell, meaning this extra quarter mile should help him along. But, trainer Catalano’s record suggests he may need a bit more time to come around.
10. Jonathan’s Way: His debut was eye-catching: despite early traffic, he was able to circle the field and run away with a 4 ¼-length victory going six furlongs at Saratoga. That adaptability will help from a near-outside gate. He has posted a couple of works since including a good, sharp local drill at Churchill, and he should get plenty of speed to close into this time around.
11. Mesero: This son of Not This Time won on debut at Ellis on July 29 in the mud—and, with wet weather likely on Friday and Saturday, he may well get wet weather again in this spot. He drew out toward the outside, but with multiple speed horses in the field, he gets a good chance to just find a place toward the back down the extended backstretch run and try to reel them in. He will need to move forward from a speed perspective, but with maturity and a better start, he has some upside.
12. Politicallycorrect: With three starts, he is one of the more experienced horses in the field, and alongside Owen Almighty, he is one of only two dual winners and one of only two stakes winners. He has won from both the front end and from last early, meaning he has appealing versatility, and he is also a stakes winner over this course. He will have to turn tables on Owen Almighty from last out, but if he tries the off-pace style from the Bashford Manor again, he just might.

Iroquois Stakes FAQ

Q: When and where is the Iroquois?

A: The race happens Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 5:29 p.m. Eastern Standard Time at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The race is the 10th of 11 races on the day. The card features four other stakes, including the Pocahontas Stakes. Like the Iroquois is the first Kentucky Derby points race, the Pocahontas is the first race of the year to offer qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Iroquois?

A: Trainers Bill Mott and Dale Romans are tied for the most Iroquois Stakes wins with four each. Romans, whose winners include Cleburne (2013), Not this Time (2016), Dennis’ Moment (2019), and Sittin on Go (2020), returns to the fray in 2024 with Mesero.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Iroquois?

A: Owen Almighty is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the 2024 Iroquois. With two open-lengths wins so far, including a local maiden special weight and a seven-furlong stakes at Ellis, he should hold as the favorite.

Q: Who is the best Iroquois jockey?

A: Retired jockey Pat Day leads all riders with four victories in the Iroquois between 1985 and 2002. Among jockeys riding in the 2024 edition of the race, Rafael Bejarano leads with two winners: Catcominatcha (2005) and West Saratoga (2023). He can make it three with First Resort.

Q: Who won the Iroquois in 2023?

A: West Saratoga won the 2023 Iroquois for trainer Larry Demeritte and jockey Rafael Bejarano. Demeritte does not have a horse in 2024, but Bejarano rides First Resort for Eoin Harty.

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