Iroquois Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2023 Iroquois Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2023 Iroquois Stakes is set for September 16 at Churchill Downs race track in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Iroquois Stakes Preview
- Race: Iroquois Stakes
- Purse: $300,000
- Track: Churchill Downs
- Date: September 16
- Post Time: 4:55 PM (ET)
- Live: Iroquois Stakes Odds: Click Here
2023 Iroquois Stakes Racebooks / Betting Apps We Like!
Before we can give you our expert 2023 Iroquois Stakes free pick, we have to break down the entries! In fact, we’d love to hear from you after you’ve given this post a read to see if you see an angle that we don’t!
2023 Iroquois Stakes Handicapping
Although we’re still in September, the long road to Kentucky Derby 2024 next May gets underway this Saturday with the running of the (G3) Iroquois Stakes. The Iroquois is the first race in the 48-race qualifying series to determine the 20 horses that will go to the Derby gate next spring.
Open to horses age two, the Iroquois is run at one mile on the Churchill Downs dirt course. The race has drawn a solid field of nine entries and they’ll be chasing Derby qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale for the top five finishers.
The race is also a ‘Win And You’re In’ qualifier for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Odds listed here are provided by the Churchill Downs track oddsmaker.
2023 Iroquois Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Risk It Race Odds: 2-1
He only has one race to his name so far, but Risk It ran a very good one to break his maiden at first asking one month ago at Saratoga.
Sent off as the favourite in a field of seven, Risk It went right to the front and never looked back, cruising to a 4 1/2 length victory, clicking off solid fractions while putting up a 91 Equibase speed figure, the best in Saturday’s field. That race was run at six furlongs, so here he stretches out another quarter mile.
Trainer Steve Asmussen has won the Iroquois three times previously, the most recent in 2014. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount.
2023 Iroquois Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Patriot Spirit Race Odds: 7-2
Also with just one race on his resume, Patriot Spirit was also a first-time winner after scoring his maiden win three weeks ago at Colonial Downs.
There he broke well and stalked just off a very fast pace through the first six furlongs before taking over into the stretch and powering away to win by six lengths.
Michael Campbell trains, Jesus Castanon comes in from Colonial to ride.
Union Roll Race Odds: 5-1
Another one making his second lifetime start, Union Roll comes in off a win in his maiden debut at Monmouth. Unlike the previous two that were setting or on the pace to take their debut, Union Roll came from a bit further back in a six-furlong event.
After spinning three-wide off the turn, he took over in the stretch and hit the wire a comfortable 5 1/4 lengths clear of the field.
The 2021 race winner Todd Pletcher trains, Gerardo Corrales rides.
West Saratoga Race Odds: 8-1
One of the more experienced runners in the field, West Saratoga will be making his sixth lifetime start. Although it took him five tries to score his maiden win, he’s been competitive in his last four, with three consecutive runner-up finishes in that span.
Two of those second-place efforts came on the Churchill Downs dirt, and he’s the only horse in the race with a start – and win – at the one-mile distance.
Larry Demeritte is the trainer. Veteran jockey Rafael Bejarano won the Iroquois back in 2005.
Here’s My 2023 Iroquois Stakes Free Pick.
With so many inexperienced horses coming into this off a debut win, it’s a bit of a handicapping puzzle. Anyone of those can move forward off that last effort, but at the same time, anyone of them could regress now they’re going up against other proven winners.
In taking his debut, Risk It ticked off some very fast fractions on the lead, and if he can carry that speed for the full mile he might run away with it.
That being said, I’m going to bet on one with a bit of experience. I think West Saratoga has moved forward nicely in both of his last two. As mentioned above, he already has a win at the one-mile distance, and it’s notable that in his last three races he finished ahead of a horse that went on to win his next start.
At a bit of a price I’ll take him for the upset.
Full Field: 2023 Iroquois Stakes Odds
By post position
- #1 – Liberal Arts 20-1
- #2 – West Saratoga 8-1
- #3 – Union Roll 5-1
- #4 – Edified 8-1
- #5 – Market Street 8-1
- #6 – Seize the Grey 10-1
- #7 – Gettysburg Address 12-1
- #8 – Risk It 2-1
- #9 – Patriot Spirit 7-2
Iroquois Stakes Tweet of the Day
The Road to The @KentuckyDerby & #KyOaks begins tomorrow @ChurchillDowns.
Pocahontas (GIII) – 10 Oaks points
Iroquois (GIII) – 10 Derby points@TonyaRAbeln explains the #RTKD
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 16, 2022
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