West Saratoga scored an upset in the one-mile Grade 1 $300,000 Iroquois Stakes on Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs. The Iroquois was the first official race on the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby and was a qualifying points race toward next year's Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.

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Winless over his first four starts, Harry Veruchi's West Saratoga is now 2-for-2 since stretching out to one mile. In addition to Saturday's race, he was a fast front running winner of an Aug. 5 maiden race last time out at Ellis Park.

Though that win came on the lead, West Saratoga showed an off-the-pace style Saturday, which proved beneficial after Patriot Spirit ran off and established an exhausting pace, going the half-mile in :44.63 and six furlongs in 1:10.14.

The blazing splits took a toll on the leader and those chasing him, but West Saratoga, who rated in fourth early under jockey Rafael Bejarano, had something left for the stretch and rallied past the leaders. The Larry Demeritte trainee completed a mile in 1:37.28, scoring by 1 3/4 lengths. He paid $26.96 for a $2 win wager.

West Saratoga earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. Runner up Risk It, and third-, fourth-, and fifth-place finishers Liberal Arts, Seize the Grey and Edified each grabbed points on a 5-3-2-1 scale.

"It's very special to get started on the Road to the Kentucky Derby," Veruchi said.

2023 Iroquois S.
September 16th, 2023

Winning Time: 1:37.28

• Purse: $300,000
• Distance: 1 Mile
• Age: 2 yo
• Surface: Dirt
• Winning Time: 1:37.28

Results

Win

Place

Show

1^st

2 West Saratoga

$26.96

$8.24

$5.22

• Jockey / Rafael Bejarano
• Trainer / Larry W. Demeritte

• Owner / Harry L. Veruchi
• Breeder / Two Hearts Farm II LLC

2^nd

8 Risk It

$3.24

$2.88

• Jockey / Tyler Gaffalione
• Trainer / Steven M. Asmussen

• Owner / Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm
• Breeder / Gun Runner Syndicate, De Sousa Stables & Cranford Bloodstock LTD

3^rd

1 Liberal Arts

$5.44

• Jockey / Cristian A. Torres
• Trainer / Robert Medina

• Owner / Ferraro, Evan and Ferraro, Stephen
• Breeder / Stephen Ferraro & Evan Ferraro

4^th

6 Seize the Grey

• Jockey / Jaime A. Torres
• Trainer / D. Wayne Lukas

• Owner / MyRaceHorse Stable
• Breeder / Jamm, LTD.

5^th

4 Edified

• Jockey / Ricardo Santana, Jr.
• Trainer / Steven M. Asmussen

• Owner / Courtlandt Farms (Donald and Donna Adam)
• Breeder / Summer Wind Equine LLC

6^th

9 Patriot Spirit

• Jockey / Jesus Lopez Castanon
• Trainer / Michael B. Campbell

• Owner / Mellon Patch, Inc.
• Breeder / Blue Heaven Farm

7^th

3 Union Roll

• Jockey / Gerardo Corrales
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher

• Owner / Calumet Farm
• Breeder / Calumet Farm

8^th

5 Market Street

• Jockey / Gabriel Saez
• Trainer / D. Wayne Lukas

• Owner / Les Wagner
• Breeder / Robert Low & Lawana Low

Scratches

Gettysburg Address

Payoff

Pick 3
6-10-2

6-10-2

$148

Daily Double
10-2

10-2

$112

Exacta
2-8

2-8

$90

Consolation Pick 3
6-6-2

6-6-2

$16

Superfecta
2-8-1-6

2-8-1-6

$101

Trifecta
2-8-1

2-8-1

$127

Z-5 Super Hi-5
2-8-1-6-4

2-8-1-6-4

$0

Payoff

Pick 3
6-10-2

6-10-2

$148

Daily Double
10-2

10-2

$112

Exacta
2-8

2-8

$90

Consolation Pick 3
6-6-2

6-6-2

$16

Superfecta
2-8-1-6

2-8-1-6

$101

Trifecta
2-8-1

2-8-1

$127

Z-5 Super Hi-5
2-8-1-6-4

2-8-1-6-4

$0

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