Tight Ten Returns to Churchill for Iroquois Stakes

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Tight Ten Returns to Churchill for Iroquois Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Tight Ten draws off in his June 28 debut to score by 4 1/4 lengths in the maiden race at Churchill Downs

After he earned a graded stakes placing in New York, Tight Ten will return to the site of his easy debut victory when he faces an expected 11 other juveniles in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) Sept. 15 at Churchill Downs.

A homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds, Tight Ten enters Saturday's 1 1/16-mile test off a runner-up finish to Call Paul in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) Aug. 12 at Saratoga Race Course. Before that effort, the Tapit  colt scored a front-end victory in a six-furlong maiden race at Churchill, where he drew off in the stretch—despite hitting the rail—to win by 4 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Tight Ten will try a route of ground for the first time. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., who was aboard for Tight Ten's first two starts, is scheduled to ride.

The only other Iroquois entrant who has run in a graded stakes is Synthesis, a maiden who finished a well-beaten third in the Aug. 11 Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar. Trained by Keith Desormeaux, the son of First Samurai  is the most experienced runner in the field with four starts, all sprinting.

The race opens the main Road to the Kentucky Derby series and awards points (10-4-2-1) to the top four placers. The race is also a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event for the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). 

Asmussen also will send out L and N Racing's Tobacco Road, who rallied to victory in the seven-furlong Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes Aug. 19. The close third-place finisher from that race, Manny Wah, also is entered Saturday. Trainer Wayne Catalano has seen improvement from the son of Will Take Charge  since that race.

"I think we could win this time," Catalano said. "It's the perfect spot. We had a really fast work last week, and he looked great. We really ran well down at Ellis. This is the right spot to get points for the Derby and a spot for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile right in our backyard. We can walk right out of our stall for the race."

Four horses in the field are entered off of maiden special weight victories in their debuts. Royal Urn, who scored Aug. 24 at Gulfstream Park, is joined by Ellis Park debut winners My Sixth Sense, Hog Creek Hustle, and Everfast. Calumet Farm's Everfast, who rallied from fourth to win a seven-furlong race Aug. 12, will have to overcome the outside post in the field of 12.




Entries: Iroquois S. (G3)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 15, 2018, Race 10

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 2 yo
  • 5:26 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Mr Wrench It (FL) Euclyn E. Prentice, Jr. 120 Coty Davidson 30/1
2 2Royal Urn (NJ) Leonel Reyes 118 Michelle Nihei 12/1
3 3Drunk as a Skunk (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joseph Rocco, Jr. 118 Doug L. Anderson 30/1
4 4Tight Ten (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Steven M. Asmussen 2/1
5 5My Sixth Sense (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 118 Mark E. Casse 10/1
6 6Tobacco Road (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Julien R. Leparoux 120 Steven M. Asmussen 6/1
7 7Pole Setter (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 6/1
8 8Cairo Cat (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 8/1
9 9Manny Wah (KY) Channing Hill 118 Wayne M. Catalano 8/1
10 10Hog Creek Hustle (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Corey J. Lanerie 118 Vickie L. Foley 10/1
11 11Synthesis (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Drayden Van Dyke 118 J. Keith Desormeaux 12/1
12 12Everfast (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Robby Albarado 118 Dale L. Romans 12/1