Iroquois Stakes

Road to the Kentucky Derby > Iroquois Stakes

Iroquois Stakes Race Facts

  • Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
  • Inaugural Race: 1982
  • Distance: 1 mile (8 furlongs)
  • Track Type: Left-handed, Dirt
  • Age Qualifications: Two-year-olds
  • 2023 Purse: $300,000
  • 2023 Race Date: Saturday, September 16th

2023 Iroquois Stakes Race Results

POST
HORSE
JOCKEY / TRAINER
WIN / PLACE / SHOW
2
West Saratoga
Rafael Bejarano / Larry W. Demeritte
$26.96 / $8.24 / $5.22
8
Risk It
Tyler Gaffalione / Steven M. Asmussen
$3.24 / $2.88
1
Liberal Arts
Cristian A. Torres / Robert Medina
$5.44
6
Seize the Grey
Jaime A. Torres / D. Wayne Lukas
4
Edified
Ricardo Santana, Jr. / Steven M. Asmussen
9
Patriot Spirit
Jesus Lopez Castanon / Michael B. Campbell
3
Union Roll
Gerardo Corrales / Todd A. Pletcher
5
Market Street
Gabriel Saez / D. Wayne Lukas

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $2.00 Exacta (2-8) Paid: $90.44
  • $0.50 Trifecta (2-8-1) Paid: $127.38
  • $0.10 Superfecta (2-8-1-6) Paid: $101.48

Watch the 2023 Iroquois Stakes

Iroquois Stakes Race History

The Iroquois Stakes is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY in mid-September.  It’s the first graded stakes race for Thoroughbred horses on opening day at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet. The race is open to 2-year-olds and is part of the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’. It’s the first race of the tiered points system that awards Derby points to the top-5 finishers (10-5-3-2-1).

The Iroquois (pronounced Ear-Ah-Coy) is named for Iroquois, the first American horse to win the English Epsom Derby. Prior to 2013 the race was one mile on the dirt track, and open to juveniles only. From 2013 to 2019, the Grade III race was run at a distance of  1 1⁄16 miles, until reverting back to its historical distance of 1 mile in 2020. Both the 2021 and 2022 editions were run at 1 1⁄16 miles before reverting back to 1 mile again for the 2023 edition.  The Iroquois currently offers a purse of $300,000.

In the 2016 Iroquois, Not This Time finished full of run to win going away by more than 8 lengths over Lookin at Lee, who would go on to finish 2nd in the 2017 Kentucky Derby. Not This Time, a son of the great sire Giant’s Causeway, finished 2nd by a neck to Classic Empire in his next race as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. A very unfortunate soft tissue injury to his front right leg during that race ended the promising career of the striking dark bay colt, as Not This Time was an early leading contender for the Kentucky Derby.    

Harlan’s Holiday (2001) held the fastest one mile record in the Iroquois (1:35.01). In the 1 1/16 mile editions of the race, Dennis' Moment (2019) finished with the best time in 1:43.60.

Bill Mott and Dale Romans are the trainers with the most wins in the Iroquois (4 each).

Iroquois Stakes Past Winners

YearWinnerJockey / TrainerDistance / Time
2023
West Saratoga
Rafael Bejarano / Larry W. Demeritte
1 1/16 miles / 1:37.3
2022
Curly Jack
Edgar Morales / Thomas M. Amoss
1 1/16 miles / 1:45.6
2021
Major General
Javier Castellano / Todd A. Pletcher
1 1/16 miles / 1:44.9
2020
Sittin On Go
Corey Lanerie / Dale L. Romans
1 mile / 01:35.0
2019
Dennis' Moment
Irad Ortiz Jr. / Dale L. Romans
1 1/16 miles / 01:43.6
2018
Cairo Cat
Brian Hernandez Jr. / Kenneth G. McPeek
1 1/16 miles / 01:45.3
2017
The Tabulator
Jose Valdivia Jr. / Larry Rivelli
1 1/16 miles / 01:45.5
2016
Not This Time
Robby Albarado / Dale L. Romans
1 1/16 miles / 01:45.2
2015
Cocked and Loaded
Emmanuel Esquivel / Larry Rivelli
1 1/16 miles / 01:44.9
2014
Lucky Player
Ricardo Santana Jr. / Steven M. Asmussen
1 1/16 miles / 01:45.8