Sur La Tete much the best

Sur La Tete made it 2 for 2 in 2006 on Saturday with a 6 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $150,000 Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville, Tenn.

Ridden by Chris Read, Sur La Tete rallied from fourth place in the seven-horse field and fought off runner-up Feeling So Pretty and third-place finisher Erin Go Bragh to win the three-mile, 18-fence race in 5:47.60.

McDynamo, last year's Eclipse Award winner, was scratched from the Iroquois after developing a fever on Friday.

Sur La Tete has won 9 of 18 starts and has earned more than $600,000.

In other races on the card, Mixed Up won the $50,000 Marcellus Frost for trainer Jonathan Sheppard and jockey Danielle Hodsdon; Irish import Allimac, ridden by Jody Petty, captured the $75,000 Mason Houghland timber stakes for trainer Sanna Hendriks; and Orchid Princess, ridden by Matt McCarron for owner-trainer Linda Klein, took the $30,000 Margaret Henley for fillies and mares.