Iron Man Cal (inside) just misses in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables’ Iron Man Cal, who came within a neck of winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) last fall at Del Mar, will make his 2025 debut when he headlines a field of 14 plus four also-eligibles for the 34th running of the $1 million American Turf (GI) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Iron Man Cal took the Zuma Beach (GIII) at Santa Anita before his Breeders’ Cup run. Named for baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., Iron Man Cal will be ridden by Antonio Fresu from post 10.
Also coming out of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf is Qatar Racing’s New Century (GB). Now trained by Brendan Walsh, New Century won the Summer Stakes (GI) at Woodbine prior to his Breeders’ Cup run and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 3 in his 2025 debut.
The field for the American Turf (Race 9, 4:06 p.m. post):
- Warlander (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen)
- Scipio (Umberto Rispoli, Richard Baltas)
- New Century (GB) (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brendan Walsh)
- Mi Bago (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
- Test Score (Manny Franco, Graham Motion)
- Maximum Promise (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
- Zulu Kingdom (IRE) (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown)
- Charlie’s to Blame (Luis Saez, Peter Eurton)
- Giocoso (Ben Curtis, Keith Desormeaux)
- Iron Man Cal (Antonio Fresu, Phil D’Amato)
- Classic of Course (Frankie Dettori, Patrick Biancone)
- Golden Afternoon (Mike Smith, Nicholas Vaccarezza)
- Maui Strong (Vincent Cheminaud, Dale Romans)
- Megalodon (Junior Alvarado, Josie Carroll)
- AE: Hammerhead (Irving Moncada, Chad Summers)
- AE: Spirit Rags (Martin Garcia, Marcelino Salas)
- AE: A. P. Kid (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)
- AE: Discreet Dancer (John Velazquez, Antonio Sano)
