Ironicus retired to stand at Claiborne

Ironicus, one of the best middle-distance turf runners in North America the past two years, has been retired and will stand the 2017 breeding season at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. The 5-year-old son of Distorted Humor out of Meghan’s Joy, by A.P. Indy, will stand for a fee of $7,500.

In 2015 and 2016, Ironicus won five of 10 starts, with four seconds, winning three graded stakes and placing in three graded stakes. His only off-the-board finish the last two years was in his last career start, finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, beaten two lengths.

A Kentucky homebred for Stuart Janney III and trained by Shug McGaughey, Ironicus won six of 15 career starts, with six seconds, and earned $1,148,790.

In 2015, he won the Dixie and Bernard Baruch Handicap, both Grade 2 at 1 1/16 miles on turf. In the Bernard Baruch, he set a course record for at Saratoga, running the 1 /16 miles in 1:38.45.

This year, Ironicus won the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Fort Marcy on turf and was second to Miss Temple City in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile and second to Flintshire in the Grade 1, 1 1/4-mile Manhattan on turf. He ran triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last six career starts.

Ironicus is a half-brother to five stakes winners, including Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational winner Norumbega, Grade 2 Sands Point winner On Leave, Grade 3 Stuyvesant winner Hunting, and Grade 3 Violet winner Quiet Harbor. It is the family of graded stakes winners Eastern Echo, Yell, Roar, and Blare of Trumpets.

“This talented homebred had a solid race career as a three-time graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1 performer,” said Claiborne Farm representative Bernie Sams. “We believe his accomplishments on the racetrack, as well as his impressive bloodlines, make him an exciting stallion prospect.”