Ironicus healthy for Wednesday allowance
ELMONT, N.Y. – After a cough forced him to scratch from the Grade 3 Poker Stakes on June 14, Ironicus looks to jump-start his promising campaign in an $85,000, third-level allowance race Wednesday at Belmont Park.
The one-mile race is carded as the third and thus is not part of a pick six wager that begins the day with a $39,232 carryover. That sequence starts on race 4 and includes a maiden race for 3-year-olds and up that marks the second career start of Cozmic One, the first foal from the champion mare Zenyatta.
Ironicus, a son of Distorted Humor trained by Shug McGaughey, is coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico on the undercard of the May 16 Preakness Stakes. In that race, Ironicus rallied from 10th behind a moderate pace to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
“I didn’t run thinking he was going to lose, but he really stepped it up,” McGaughey said.
McGaughey is hoping to use this race as a stepping-stone to the Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave at Saratoga on Aug. 15.
Nine were entered, but only six for the turf, and three would run only if the race is transferred to the main track.
North Star Boy, an allowance winner at Saratoga last summer, returns to the flats after an equipment problem caused him to leave the course in a maiden steeplechase event in May.
KEY CONTENDERS
Ironicus (Last 3 Beyers: 96-90-87)
The definite class of the field, he is a closer and would benefit from a contested and at least decent early pace. Tetradrachm and Our Emerald Forest look like early pace candidates.
Has worked twice since a cough knocked him out of the Poker.
“He’s training great, looking forward to running him,” McGaughey said. “He needs to run; he hasn’t run in a while.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Ironicus. Trainer Shug McGaughey is 17-2-2-0 with a $0.75 ROI over the past two years in turf routes on the NYRA circuit with last-out winners within 31 and 60 days of their last start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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North Star Boy (Last 3 Beyers: 87-89-72)
May have been taken out of his preferred running style when pressing a slow pace in the Henry Clark Stakes at Pimlico on April 18, his first start off a four-month layoff.
Trainer Niall Saville said he has had a hard time getting North Star Boy fit this year.
“I really only think he’s actually fit now,” Saville said. “He was probably 75 percent fit for the Clark. I expect a big improvement.”
McIlroy (Last 3 Beyers: 76-90-89)
Gets a little class relief after finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Miami Mile, his second start after being claimed for $50,000 by Carl Lizza Racing Stables LLC and trainer Ralph Nicks.
Returns to Belmont, where he is 2-1-0 from five starts, and makes his first start for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who is just 3 for his last 53 at Belmont since May 15.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Abtaal. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 16-5-1-4 with a $4.43 ROI over the past two years in turf routes on the NYRA circuit in the third start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan