Tipsheet: 2025 Iroquois Stakes

A talented group of 10 juveniles will vie in Saturday’s $300,000 Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top-five finishers with a total of 21 qualifying points (10-5-3-2-1) towards the Run for the Roses on May 2. 

Iroquois Stakes Picks

• #1 Nothing Personal 
• #7 Comport
• #8 Vost

Iroquois Stakes Wagers

• $20 win #1 Nothing Personal
• $5 exacta key box 1 with 7,8
• $1 trifecta 1,7 with 1,7,8 with 1,4,5,7,8

Iroquois Stakes Contenders

#1 NOTHING PERSONAL (8-1): $270,000 juvenile buy exploded in the lane and drew off to a convincing score at Colonial Downs on debut for Greg Compton. The son of Violence handled the seven-eighths with ease during his unveiling, and the move to a one-turn mile should be right in his wheelhouse. Jaime Rodriguez retains the ride atop the upset pick. 

#2 SOMETIME (15-1): Take Charge Indy colt was a debut dead-heat winner in Virginia, which preceded a third-place run with restricted foes in the grassy Jamestown S. last time out. The February foal has good early foot but will need a step forward to challenge for the score against this group. 

#3 NO MORE CENTS (10-1): First of two from the McPeek shedrow bagged an Ohio-bred stakes sprint at first asking and was a distant third in a similar type of event last out in advance of his debut with open foes. The Goldencents gray will have Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the stirrups. 

#4 SO SPECIAL (10-1): Vekoma colt broke his maiden second time on the lawn at Ellis Park and is a wildcard on the main strip. Also from the McPeek barn, he posted six solid morning drills on this surface in June and July and wouldn’t be a major surprise to me with Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the silks. 

#5 SPICE RUNNER (7-2): Asmussen pupil was last seen checking in second in the Juvenile S. at Ellis Park most recently. Gun Runner colt was a smart maiden winner at 3-10 odds on debut beneath the Twin Spires, and his pedigree suggests that the added ground will benefit him on this day, too. Jose Ortiz will guide the bay foal. 

#6 SHAKE AND RATTLE (20-1): Longshot did break his maiden locally in his third lifetime appearance, but he has been outrun in two subsequent tries with winners and would be a shocker to me. 

#7 COMPORT (6-5): Deserving morning-line choice edged away late in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. to move his mark to 3-2-1-0. Kenneally's pupil ran a pair of big races here in June, and he seems well-suited to handle the one-turn mile on Saturday with something resembling his best effort. The son of Collected will have Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle. 

#8 VOST (12-1): William Walden trainee broke slowest but finished fastest in a visually impressive triumph at Ellis Park in his lone run to date. The son of underrated sire Instagrand also overcame the rail in his tally, and if he moves forward and breaks cleaner on Saturday, then I could envision the homebred being in the hunt late at a big number beneath Florent Geroux. 

#9 NINE BALL (12-1): Chestnut son of Code of Honor looked good in his first-out score at Ellis Park for Riley Mott and has trained well in the interim, led by a nice gate drill on this oval most recently. March foal might be a nice long-term prospect with Jaime Torres taking the reins. 

#10 MAXIMUS PRIME (12-1): A maiden from the Anthony Mitchell shedrow was assigned the widest post in the group, and while the bay was stakes placed in his lone previous appearance at Churchill, I have a hard time backing him against this crew, nonetheless. Luis Saez will pilot the son of Maximus Mischief.