Kentucky Derby prep: Spice Runner rallies to win Iroquois
Looking green in the homestretch, Spice Runner found his focus in the final sixteenth of a mile to reel in post-time favorite Comport to win by a head Saturday in the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs.
“It didn’t look like he was going to go by him at the last little bit,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Hopefully he got a little focus in trying to beat another horse. It definitely appears that the talent is there.”
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Run around a one-turn mile, the Iroquois was the first points prep on the road to Kentucky Derby 2026. Ten 3-year-olds took part.
No More Cents (20-1) established the early pace through fractions of 22.69 and 46.06 seconds. Spice Runner (5-1), who was ridden by José Ortiz, was tucked into a tight, closely pursuing pack as he traveled in fourth place up the backstretch.
Comport (6-5) carried Tyler Gaffalione into the lead midway through the turn to a three-quarter-mile split of 1:10.83. Spice Runner moved into second place at the top of the stretch.
Comport drifted out at the eighth pole but still led through seven furlongs in 1:23.34. Spice Runner did not respond right away to Ortiz’s urging.
“He was a little bit green when I hit him right handed,” Ortiz said. “He kind of switched to his left lead, but he was still coming.”
The Winchell Thoroughbreds’ homebred son of Gun Runner gathered himself for a final burst of speed to avenge his second-place finish to Comport last month in the Ellis Park Juvenile.
“We were concerned the last time I rode him,” Ortiz said. “I sent him to the lead and put him close to the pace. Steve told me to be a little more careful early, so I did that and followed the right horse, Comport. I followed him every step of the way. Luckily, we got the head bob at the end.”
The winning time was 1:36.59 on the fast main track.
Spice Runner paid $12.38, $5.42 and $4.16; Comport $2.80 and $2.42; and third-place Vost (5-1) $4.00. Nothing Personal (3-1) wound up fourth, and Maximus Prime (21-1) was fifth. The top five earned 10-5-3-2-1 points toward qualifying for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Bred in Kentucky out of Cowboy Cal mare Simple Sunrise, Spice Runner is a full brother of two-time Grade 1-winning sprinter Gunite. He won his debut May 23 at Churchill Downs. That was where he finished fifth against a wilting pace June 29 in the Bashford Manor. Spice Runner led early before finishing second to Comport on Aug. 10 in the seven-furlong Ellis Park Juvenile.
“I think he’s got room to grow,” Asmussen said. “I think the new tactics as José said today, he carried really nicely, looked very comfortable. Obviously we’ve got a little mental issue. I think that there’s more there. He has to be ridden hard to get it out of him, but he doesn’t seem to necessarily appreciate the whip at this stage.”