Ironstone runs past The Minkster in Ontario Derby

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Canadian Triple Crown participant Ironstone notched his first stakes of the year convincingly in Sunday’s Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine.

The Minkster was rank on the lead through moderate fractions in the 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds, while being tracked by Luckman, Mannix and the favored Ironstone.

Ironstone was angled off the inside entering the stretch by Kazushi Kimura and then collared The Minskster inside the eighth pole before drawing clear for a 2 3/4-length win, in a time of 1:49.15.

Bringer of Ran checked in five lengths behind The Minkster in third. Mannix and Luckman completed the order of finish.

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The fast-working Ironstone finished a respectable fourth in the Aug. 21 Queen’s Plate and was coming off a front-running second in the Prince of Wales Stakes on the dirt at Fort Erie.

“We had been teaching him to be more comfortable in the morning time, but he was still a little bit aggressive,” Kimura said. “When it sets up like that, he’s going to be finishing.”

Ironstone ($4.80) earned $108,000 of the $177,300 purse for the partnership of Tequesta Racing Inc. and Jupiter Leasing Co.

Winning trainer Willie Armata said Ironstone could be put away for the year, although he didn’t rule out running the son of Mr Speaker one more time before the conclusion of the meet.

“We’re going to discuss it with the owners and take it from there,” Armata said. “We have a different game plan for next year.”

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