Stilleto Boy front-runs his way to Iowa Derby upset

Stilleto Boy set the pace, dug his heels in, and kicked home to win the $250,000 Iowa Derby by 4 1/2 lengths Friday night at Prairie Meadows.

The result was not widely expected. Stilleto Boy was a 16-1 shot in the Iowa Derby, while runner-up Flash of Mischief, sent off at 12-1, completed a $2 exacta worth $202.60. Nova Rags, favored at 9-5, raced wide and never fired, beating only Rightandjust, who faded badly off a moderate pace. Super Stock, second choice at 2-1 and the 2021 Arkansas Derby winner, also failed to muster much of a rally, coming home a neck behind third-place Gagetown.

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Gagetown was wrangled to the back of the field, pulled for his head down the backstretch, made a move around the far turn, but could make no headway in a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds dominated by the front-runners.

Fernando de la Cruz was named to ride Stilleto Boy but it was Jose Ortiz who sat on his back in the Iowa Derby. The two set an even, comfortable pace of 47.73 for the first half-mile, with Flash of Mischief chasing in second. Stilleto Boy went his third quarter mile in 24.64, took a three-length lead to the furlong grounds, and continued to widen his advantage to the finish. He stopped the timer in 1:42.64 while racing over a fast main track and paid $35.40 to win. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

Stilleto Boy, trained for a partnership that includes his breeders, John and Iveta Kerber, and his trainer, Doug Anderson. Stilletto Boy wintered at Oaklawn Park, and after a couple creditable sprint tries improved when switched to route racing.

He won a two-turn maiden race April 17 in Arkansas, but in Prairie’s local Iowa Derby prep, the June 4 Prairie Mile, Stilleto Boy raced from a stalking position and proved no factor. On the lead, the colt looks like a different horse, and he easily turned in a career-best showing Friday evening.

Stilleto Boy is by Shackleford out of Rosie’s Ransom, by Marquetry.

Proxy, Bourbon Thunder, and Snow House were scratched.