Ironicus Gets First Winner in Russia

First-time starter Spanish Rider became the first winner for Claiborne Farm's freshman sire Ironicus  after capturing the first race June 6 at Krasnodar Racetrack in Russia.

Bred in Kentucky by Nursery Place and Doug Hendrickson, Spanish Rider is out of the Lasting Approval daughter Quiero Ganar, a full sister to multiple grade 1 winner Honey Ryder and a half sister to Lord at War full siblings Cuando Puede (a grade 3 winner) and Cuando (graded-placed stakes winner).

Nursery Place sold Spanish Rider to Red Stable for $14,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt won his 1,200-meter (approximately six-furlong) debut in a final time of 1:13.2 for trainer A. Volik.

Ironicus, a 9-year-old son of Distorted Humor , was a multiple grade 1-placed, multiple grade 2 winner for owner/breeder Stuart Janney III. He was successful over a variety of route distances, winning at 4 the Longines Dixie Stakes (G2T) and Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T). At 5 he won the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T), was runner-up to 2016 champion grass horse Flintshire  in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T), and second by a head to Miss Temple City in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), while defeating eventual Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner Tourist  and Arlington Million XXXIV Stakes (G1T) winner Mondialiste.

Now standing at Claiborne for $5,000, Ironicus is one of five graded stakes winners produced by A.P. Indy's stakes-placed winner Meghan's Joy, also the dam of grade 2 winners Norumbega (Tiznow ) and On Leave (War Front ) and grade 3 winners Hunting (Coronado's Quest) and Quiet Harbor (Silver Deputy).