Unbeaten Salahudin one to beat as Iroquois kicks off Road to the 2027 KY Derby
Preview of Saturday’s stakes by the Churchill Downs publicity team (Coady Media/Hunter Fridley photo of Salahudin winning the Ellis Park Juvenile) Editor’s note, since this is posting a day late, Salahudin sadly will have a new rider with Florent Geroux injured in a one-horse spill Thursday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026) – Zedan Racing Stables’ undefeated Salahudin will attempt to improve his record to 3-for-3 Saturday when he faces eight rivals in the 45th running of the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.
Salahudin completed part of his final preparations Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, where he schooled in the starting gate before galloping under former jockey Chase Miller with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert watching from the trainer’s stand.
“He’s continuing to learn each time he runs,” Geroux said. “In his debut, he didn’t really know what was going on but still was able to win on his natural talent. You could tell he learned a lot from that race in the Ellis Park Juvenile. He was more professional and took a step forward against better horses.”
Salahudin won his June 27 debut at Ellis Park by two lengths before returning the following month to capture the Ellis Park Juvenile by 4 ½ lengths under Florent Geroux.
The son of Uncle Mo will break from post No. 7 with Geroux back aboard.
The one-mile Iroquois, the first race on the Road to Kentucky Derby 153, will go as Race 10 with a post time of 5:29 p.m. First post for the 11-race program is 12:45 p.m.
The field for the Iroquois from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
- Caribbean Life (Flavien Prat, Will Walden, 6-1)
- Blessed Flyer (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Tomlinson, 9-2)
- Bearamour (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 30-1)
- Admiral’s Order (Luan Machado, Ben Colebrook, 15-1)
- Real Goodbar (Manny Esquivel, Kenny McPeek, 10-1)
- Antivenom (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse, 6-1)
- Salahudin (Geroux, Baffert, 8-5)
- He Is No Lie (Joel Rosario, Doug O’Neill, 5-1)
- Real Gone (Keith Asmussen, Patrick Biancone, 12-1)
The Iroquois kicks off the “Prep Season” on the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and will award the top five finishers qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for Kentucky Derby 153 on Saturday, May 1, 2027.
The Iroquois also is part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series with the top three nominated finishers receiving a partial entry credit toward the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) on Oct. 30 at Keeneland. The winner also receives an automatic berth to the Nov. 28 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs.
HARRODSBURG RETURNS TO ACTION IN LOUISVILLE THOROUGHBRED SOCIETY – Following 11 weeks of “leisure time,” Rod and Bud Hatfield’s Harrodsburg will return to action Saturday against seven rivals in the $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Mike Tomlinson, Harrodsburg has recorded five of his seven victories at Churchill Downs, including a half-length triumph over Built in the June 27 Bango Stakes (GIII). The 6-year-old gelding has remained in regular training at Churchill Downs since the Bango.
“We gave him some leisure time after running in the Bango,” Tomlinson said. “He’s been a difficult horse in the past. He’s got a lot of character to him, but we know he runs well off a layoff. It’s been a whole team effort from our grooms, hotwalkers, foreman and assistant. We’ve all kicked ideas around to get him to turn the corner, but it couldn’t have been done without the patience of the Hatfield brothers, Rod and Bud. They’ve let us take our time and have been rewarded since.”
Harrodsburg drew the rail in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society and will be ridden by Luis Saez.
“He has one way of going, and that’s ‘catch me if you can,’” Tomlinson said. “We sure would’ve preferred a better post because the one-hole doesn’t leave you any options. We’re going to leave there and let Harrodsburg run his race.”
Among Harrodsburg’s chief rivals is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Built, who rebounded from his runner-up effort in the Bango to win the Vanderbilt Stakes (GII) by 2 ½ lengths at Saratoga for trainer Wayne Catalano.
“He’s doing great going into the race,” Catalano said. “We schooled him in the gate and the paddock. He stumbled badly last time at Churchill in the Bango. He lost all sorts of momentum, and we’re lucky the stumble wasn’t worse than it was. He still made a big run to finish second and came back to win at Saratoga.”
The field for the Louisville Thoroughbred Society in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):
- Harrodsburg (Saez, Tomlinson, 3-1)
- Here Mi Song (Edgar Morales, Billy Stinson Jr., 12-1)
- Jack’s Promise (Martin Garcia, Dale Romans, 10-1)
- Cat On Time (Tyler Gaffalione, David Jacobson, 9-2)
- Built (Flavien Prat, Catalano, 6-5)
- Echo Again (Jaime Torres, Jordan Blair, 20-1)
- Dreaminblue (Rafael Bejarano, Randy Morse, 8-1)
- Keep It Easy (Jose Ortiz, Dale Romans, 12-1)
The 6 ½-furlong LTS will go as Race 7 with a post time of 3:54 p.m. First post for the 11-race program is 12:45 p.m.
FIRST RESPONDERS DAY ON SEPT. 11 – This Friday is First Responders Day as Churchill Downs salutes the service of local heroes, including firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics and emergency dispatchers. There will be a special presentation of colors and “The Star-Spangled Banner” by theKentucky State Police Honor Guard and KSP Officer Frank Russell. All first responders can purchase discounted tickets in Millionaires Row by calling (502) 636-4450 or through GOVX, at https://www.govx.com/a/601fe190-3f72-4d46-b698-08de73bbebad/churchill-downs.
DOWN THE STRETCH – Trainer Michael McCarthy reported Simply Joking will scratch from Saturday’s $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove (GII) and run in the $225,000 Princess Rooney (GIII) on the same day at Gulfstream Park. … Jockey Miguel Fernandez is set to make his U.S. debut Friday when he rides Positive Equity in Race 10. A 5 lb. apprentice, Fernandez arrived in the U.S. earlier this week from his native Puerto Rico where he tallied 55 wins from 279 starts. He’ll be represented by Jay Fedor. … “Inside Churchill Downs” airs Friday on ESPN 680/105.7. Join Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein as they preview Saturday’s card and give a look ahead to the rest of the September Meet. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com.
