Iron Dome dominant in the Albany (Angelo Lieto)
Christian Abdo/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- L and N Racing and breeder Chester Broman, Sr.’s Iron Dome stepped up in class for a third consecutive dominant win over course and distance in Thursday’s $200,000 Albany presented by Albany Distilling Company, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Into Mischief bay graduated fifth-out by 10 1/2 lengths versus state-bred maidens 3-years-old and up on July 16 ahead of a last-out 11-length allowance victory versus state-bred elders on August 7 here. Now two weeks later, Iron Dome continued his upward progression with a 6 3/4-length score under regular rider Jose Ortiz, who secured an Asmussen-trained riding double after piloting Perfect Shot to win Race 8.
The Albany presented by Albany Distilling Company lost a key player with the stakes scratch of Train the Trainer, a dual stakes-winner tabbed as a slight morning-line favorite over Iron Dome.
“Off his other-than win and his two mile and an eighths here, I wanted to give this a chance, but then this morning with the key scratch it kind of fell in his lap,” said Asmussen. “I’m very proud of the horse. He’s obviously a big, beautiful horse – a nice Broman New York-bred that is coming into his own.”
Iron Dome exited post 4 sharply but Christopher Elliott was adamant about getting Hit the Post to the front from the outermost post 5, leaving Ortiz to settle Iron Dome into a stalking second position through an opening quarter-mile in 23.56 seconds on the fast dirt.
Hit the Post led by multiple lengths in the first turn and down the backside as Iron Dome traveled comfortably in second position, with a gap back to longshots King’s Leap, Just Licorice and Sky Masterson through the half-mile in 47.27. Iron Dome reeled in Hit the Post by the second turn and the pacesetter’s advantage was just a half-length through three-quarters in 1:12.36 before Iron Dome took command with ease.
At the top of the lane, Ortiz sat chilly and with the slightest urging, Iron Dome extended his lead to five lengths by the stretch call. There weren’t any tense moments as Iron Dome, kept to task, cruised to the wire much-the-best in a final time of 1:51.78.
“I feel like when I made the lead with him, he put his ears up, so I wait as long as I can because I know I’m on the best horse,” said Ortiz. “He jumped in the bridle a little bit before I wanted to, so I had to kind of reach and take a big hold of him at the three-eighths pole. He was traveling beautifully throughout and I was very happy the whole race around there. He was relaxed and happy, so I was, too.”
Hit the Post defended place honors by 1 1/2 lengths over King’s Leap, with Just Licorice and Sky Masterson completing the order of finish. Just Licorice was pulled up in the gallop out, walked onto the equine ambulance, and per NYRA’s Veterinary Department, sustained an injury to his left front and was transported back to the barn area for further evaluation.
Ortiz said that he is hopeful that Iron Dome will continue trending upwards with maturity.
“He’s got a nice push-button [turn of foot] for a good sixteenth of a mile, then he finds himself by himself and he puts his ears up and starts playing around,” said Ortiz. “It’s good though, it means there’s more in there. Hopefully he keeps getting better and better.”
Iron Dome, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, was purchased for $500,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the graded stakes-placed Speightstown mare Speightful Affair, and is a half-brother to the popular New York-bred Mr. Buff – a sizable 17-hands tall graded stakes-placed chestnut that banked more than $1.4 million through a 48-17-8-5 ledger, including 11 stakes wins.
“I was very excited about getting him when we did at Keeneland September being Mr. Buff’s little brother and always being a fan of his and all the success he had up here. He’s making the family proud,” said Asmussen. “With him running two weeks ago, he was away well. I was worried about him being flat as big as he is, but he jumped away from the gate so well. Jose knows him and has a lot of confidence in him – just let him do his thing.”
Elliott said the Melanie Giddings-trained Hit the Post ran well to earn a second consecutive stakes runner-up finish after the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby in July at Finger Lakes Racetrack.
“He’s a game horse. He gave me everything he had and that’s all we can ask for,” said Elliott. “The horse is really starting to get better. It took him a little while to figure it out, but he’s really maturing nicely and he’s just going to keep getting better and better.”
Iron Dome banked $110,000 in victory while improving his record to 7-3-0-2, while 3-for-4 at the Spa, and returning $2.60 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.
Live racing resumes Friday with a 10-race card featuring a pair of New York-bred stakes with the $150,000 Seeking the Ante [Race 3] and $150,000 Yaddo presented by STIHL [Race 9]. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
