Cairo Cat out-duels Tight Ten to win Iroquois Stakes

Cairo Cat hooked off the rail in deep stretch, chased down front-running Tight Ten and laid claim to Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, where the prize was three-fold.

In addition to the purse money, Cairo Cat, a son of Cairo Prince trained by Kenny McPeek, received a “Win and You’re In” trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile along with the first points on the way to the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

"When I got on him in the post parade, I kind of made a comment to myself about how smooth he was about everything," said jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. "Today he just traveled well for me the whole way. He didn't travel like a 2-year-old, that's for sure."

A strong middle move led to victory for a last-out Saratoga maiden winner, who went off at 17-1 and paid $36.20 to win. Tight Ten set all the fractions, but Cairo Cat advanced into stalking position up the back stretch.

The Top 2 ran away from the rest of the pack, with the final margin a half length and the time for 1 1/16 miles 1:45.43.

"We went through a couple spots, and he did it the right way," Hernandez Jr. said. "It never bothered him at any point, and he was able to get the job done from there."

Pole Setter ran third with Tobacco Road, the Ellis Park Juvenile winner, fourth. Horses in the Top 4 positions earned Road to the Derby points on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

Purchased for $130,000, Cairo Cat debuted routing on the turf but has since won both his dirt starts for owner Walking L Thoroughbreds. McPeek's assistant trainer confirmed the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, also run at Churchill Downs, is next for the colt.