Owen Almighty scoring at Ellis Park. (Coady Media)
Saturday At Churchill Downs With Grade III, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Road to the 151st Kentucky Derby officially kicks off Saturday at Churchill Downs with the 43rd running of the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III), headlined by Flying Dutchmen’s undefeated stakes winner Owen Almighty.
The Iroquois, run as Race 10 on the 11-race card, will go off at 5:29 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the first post at 12:45 p.m.
The one-mile race will award qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers, kicking off the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of races across the world that will set the stage for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Trained by Brian Lynch, Owen Almighty stormed onto the scene with a 3 1⁄2-length maiden win at Churchill in June before returning to dominate the Ellis Park Juvenile by 4 3⁄4 lengths in mid-August. With jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. set to ride, the son of Speightstown will look to keep his perfect record intact from post No. 5.
Among the top challengers in the Iroquois is Politicallycorrect, winner of the Bashford Manor Stakes and second to Owen Almighty in the Ellis Park Juvenile. Owned by Walmac Farm, Five Fillies Stable and Ryan Ritt, Politicallycorrect will have Florent Geroux aboard for trainer Chris Davis and will break from post 14.
Also entering the fray is Jonathan’s Way, a dazzling debut winner one month ago at Saratoga for Rigney Racing and trainer Phil Bauer. The Ohio-bred son of Vekoma had a difficult break in his Aug. 17 debut but easily circled his eight rivals around the far turn before drawing away by 4 1⁄4 lengths under Joel Rosario. The duo will reunite for the Iroquois from post 10.
In addition to its role in the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Iroquois Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Dirt Dozen” series that provides entry fee credits toward the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) for the top three Breeders’ Cup- nominated finishers.
The Iroquois leads a thrilling day of racing at Churchill Downs, which features four other stakes races, including the $300,000 Pocahontas (GIII), part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks; the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove (GII); the $300,000 Open Mind (Listed); and the $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society.
Fans can get expert insight throughout the day from Churchill Downs’ team of handicappers, including Joe Kristufek, Kaitlin Free, Tony Calo and Kevin Kilroy, whose selections and analysis will be featured on the simulcast feed and on TwinSpires.com. Additionally, Travis Stone will return as the track announcer, calling the action for his 10th September Meet at Churchill Downs.
The September Meet kicks off Thursday with 14 racing days through Sept. 29. Fans can enjoy Twilight Thursday, offering $2 domestic beer, live music and food trucks. Gates open at 4 p.m., and tickets are available at www.ChurchillDowns.com. Thursday also will double as Military Appreciation Day where military members with a valid ID will receive free general admission and discounted tickets on Millionaires Row and the Skye Terrace.
Saturday is College Day at Churchill Downs. In partnership with the KTA-KTOB, $20,000 in scholarships will be awarded to full-time students with a valid college ID. Students who show a valid college I.D. will receive free admission.
Wagering is available on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and fans can catch all the action live on FanDuel TV.
For more information and to purchase tickets for Saturday’s card, visit http://www.churchilldowns.com/.
For those unable to attend, www.TwinSpires.com is the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated and every race will be broadcast on FanDuel TV.
For more information on the September Meet, visit www.ChurchillDowns.com.
