Bucchero Repeats in Woodford

A winner of the Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G2T) last year at 26-1, Ironhorse Racing Stable's Bucchero repeated the feat Oct. 6 at Keeneland. However, horseplayers were onto his game as he went off as the 3-1 favorite this time around.

The 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf went in 1:04.04. Klein Racing's homebred Will Call rallied for second. Extravagant Kid was a half-length back in third, a neck better than Angaston.

Rocket Heat broke on top and set a solid :21.80 and :44.77 opening quarter-mile and half-mile over turf that had been upgraded to "firm." He was hounded by Done Deal and Extravagant Kid. Bucchero was just off the hot pace under Fernando De La Cruz. Bucchero got to the front, and after :57.35 for five furlongs, he was able to fend off the late run of Will Call to his outside.

"Things worked out good," De La Cruz said. "I just put him behind the speed, let him get comfortable in the stretch, and just pick it up (in the) last sixteenth to get to the wire. I was thinking (more horses would show early speed), but he was in a great position, and it worked out good for me."

Bred in Indiana by Southern Chase Farm and Karen Dodd, Bucchero is a 6-year-old horse by Kantharos  out of the General Meeting mare Meetmeontime. The win was his 11th in 30 starts. He has earned $937,936.

Trainer Timothy Glyshaw dubbed the winner an "iron horse."

"He's very special to us," Glyshaw said. "To have an Indiana-bred come in here for the second year in a row and win on the national stage, that's something we are very proud of. He just became the all-time money-earning (leader) in Indiana history—something that's important to me as well. I just can't thank Ironhorse for allowing me the opportunity to train him."

Following last year's win, Bucchero shipped to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), where he finished fourth, beaten just a length by Stormy Liberal. Glyshaw plans on trying the Breeders' Cup again and will have the good fortune of it being much closer at Churchill Downs Nov. 3.

"We'll definitely be there," the trainer said.

This year, Bucchero ran third in Gulfstream Park's Silks Run Stakes, second in Keeneland's Shakertown Stakes (G2T), and third in Churchill's Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G3T) before taking a trip to Royal Ascot.

There, Bucchero finished fifth in the five-furlong Kings Stand Stakes (G1).

He prepped for the Keeneland start with a fifth in Parx's Turf Monster Stakes (G3T).

Bucchero paid $8.40, $4.40, and $3.20. Will Call returned $6.20 and $3.80. Extravagant Kid paid $4 to show. The $1 exacta (2-10) paid $29.30.

Holding Gold, the co-favorite on the morning line at 4-1, was scratched.