Iron Deputy has time to sightsee

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Iron Deputy, making his two-turn debut, drew off to win Saturday's $83,300 Count Fleet Stakes* (click here for chart) at Aqueduct by 2 3/4 lengths over D'Coach.

Nine 3-year-olds ran in the Count Fleet after the scratch of Saratoga Blues.

Under Richard Migliore, Iron Deputy was rated off an honest pace in fourth, moved four wide around the turn, and spurted clear in upper stretch. D'Coach, the slight favorite over Iron Deputy, finished 3 1/2 lengths in front of No Parole, the third-place finisher.

Iron Deputy, a Silver Deputy colt, previously had won two of three starts, including the Huntington Stakes, for trainer Jimmy Jerkens and owners John and Susan Moore.

Iron Deputy ($5.40) covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:41.67 over a fast track.

Migliore said Iron Deputy was curious in the stretch about the tire tracks made by the starting gate.

"He slowed down to watch them," Migliore said. "His last 70 yards were better than the eighth before that."

Jerkens said the race unfolded well for Iron Deputy.

"The leaders [Pal's Partner and Hero's Glow] went too fast early on, and Iron Deputy was just starting to make his move when they were backing up," Jerkens said.

Jerkens said the $75,000 Whirlaway on Feb. 9 is a possibility for his colt.

* Affirmed Success ran a good race in his inner-track debut, but not good enough. Affirmed Success finished second as the 4-5 favorite, beaten a half-length by Boston Party in the seventh race, a classified allowance at a mile and 70 yards.

Affirmed Success, an 8-year-old, has never won a dirt race around two turns, but is a graded winner on grass and dirt at a mile and under.

Under Richard Migliore, Affirmed Success was kept close to the early pace and moved into the lead leaving the backstretch. Boston Party wore down Affirmed Success as the wire loomed.

Trainer Richard Schosberg said it's likely he will run Affirmed Success in the seven-furlong General George, a race Affirmed Success won in 2000, at Laurel on Feb. 18, rather than the Aqueduct Handicap here Jan. 19.

"I'm disappointed, but it was a good effort," Schosberg said. "I think the General George is our best bet. Seven furlongs is really his distance. My feeling is if he was going to win a two-turn race on the inner track, it was this race."

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