Romans, Asmussen each have two for Iroquois Stakes
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – “Everything about 2020 is strange,” trainer Dale Romans said this September Kentucky Derby week. “I’ll be glad when we shut the door on this chapter of life.”
So strange is this year, that one chapter opens before the preceding one has closed. About three hours before the 2020 Kentucky Derby is finally run, the road to the 2021 Derby officially kicks off with the Grade 3, $200,000 Iroquois Stakes for 2-year-olds. The one-turn mile is the first event offering the top finishers qualifying points for next year’s Derby, on a 10-4-2-1 scale. It also awards the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.
Churchill’s all-time leading trainers Steve Asmussen and Romans will be represented in Saturday’s Derby by Max Player and Attachment Rate, respectively. Before that, each will saddle two colts in the Iroquois. One of Asmussen’s entrants is Super Stock, one of three in this field already with stakes experience.
“This is the time to start separating them for the fall,” Romans said. “This has always been a key race for us.”
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Romans’s duo of Ultimate Badger and Sittin On Go were both debut winners at Ellis Park, by the same 4 1/4-length margin. Both are stretching out from five furlongs to the mile. Ultimate Badger is by Belmont Stakes runner-up Commissioner. Sittin On Go is by Brody’s Cause, a two-time Grade 1 winner routing for Romans.
“Ultimate Badger, he’s been a machine ever since he’s been with us,” Romans said. “He ran a great race at Ellis. [Sittin On Go] also ran a beautiful race at Ellis. I think distance is only gonna help him.”
Three horses in this 11-horse field have earned Beyer Speed Figures higher than 70 on the dirt, with two of those belonging to Asmussen. Super Stock won the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at 5 1/2 furlongs with a 71 Beyer. Midnight Bourbon won his maiden going this mile distance at Ellis, pulling clear by 5 1/2 lengths and earning a Beyer of 70. He is one of three horses in the lineup to have won at a mile.
Dreamer’s Disease, trained by Robertino Diodoro, was a turf maiden winner going a mile at Ellis with a lofty 78 Beyer. Notary, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, won at a mile on the Ellis dirt.
The top number in the field, and morning-line favoritism, belong to Therideofalifetime. He won his second start in July at Keeneland for Ignacio Correas with an 85 Beyer. He then finished second in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special with an 81. This is his first time beyond six furlongs.
The remaining member of this field with stakes experience is Pico d’Oro, who won his maiden in the Runhappy Juvenile at Ellis Park going seven furlongs for William Morey.
“We think he’ll go a little farther, too,” Morey said. “We think he’ll go a mile – I don’t know how much farther. We’ve always thought seven, eight furlongs.”