OZONE PARK, NY – St. Elias Stable’s Iron Honor delivered on his 4-5 favoritism Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack, capturing the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at one mile for sophomores.
Trained by five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, the son of Nyquist improved to 2-for-2 and secured 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the top five finishers. He entered off a sharp six-furlong maiden win at Aqueduct on December 13 that earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
Brown said Iron Honor tipped his hand early despite winning at a distance shorter than ideal.
“He has plenty of stamina,” said Brown, who won this event in 2016 with Shagaf. “I was really surprised he won first time out. I ran him to get a race into him, and I remember when I debuted him, I was wishing the race was 6 1/2 or seven [furlongs] to give him a little bit more of a chance to get there. When he won, he really got my attention because he did something he’s not supposed to be doing – winning at three-quarters. Only good horses do that. You saw him wear down a stubborn foe today and it looked like he was interested in more distance on the gallop out, so I like seeing that.”
Race Recap
Ridden by Manny Franco, Iron Honor broke from post 6 and was immediately involved, bumping at the start before pressing between rivals through an opening quarter in 23.09. Crown the Buckeye took a narrow advantage through a half in 46.30 and three-quarters in 1:11.45 as the top pair separated from the field.
In upper stretch, the two threw down. Iron Honor responded when Franco went to the left-handed crop, edging clear past the eighth pole and finishing one length in front in 1:37.94.
“My plan was go,” said Franco, who was also aboard for the maiden win. “My horse came from a sprint, too, and he showed speed, so I knew I was going to be able to be close, really close, and that was the plan. I talked to Chad, he told me the same thing. We did what we spoke [about].”
“He fought hard,” Franco said. “The other horse, I’ve got to give a little credit to, but I knew that my horse had enough to get it done.”
Ricardo Santana, Jr. credited the winner while praising runner-up Crown the Buckeye.
“Second best. He ran a good race,” Santana, Jr. said. “The horse that beat me is a nice horse. He was just second best. Like I said, the horse that beat us, you will see that he is a nice horse.”
Crown the Buckeye finished 6 1/2 lengths clear of Right to Party in third. Exhibition Only and Balboa rounded out the top five and earned Derby points.
Iron Honor’s 1:37.94 final time was the fastest of three one-mile stakes on the card.
What’s Next
Brown said the colt will remain in New York and target the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at nine furlongs next month.
“I don’t want to ship the horse around too much,” Brown said. “I’ll hedge that as bad a winter as we’ve had in New York, the law of averages will hopefully turn the right way here. I’ll leave him with my New York base where he’s done most of his training since he arrived into our system. He was there last summer at our Belmont barn training on that training track, so he’s very familiar with the surface. He’s 2-for-2 on the Aqueduct surface racing, so if he comes out of it healthy, he will train in New York and run in the Wood Memorial.”
Franco believes more distance will be a plus.
“I feel the horse can go a mile and an eighth, still room to improve,” Franco said. “Race by race, he’s still learning. This was just his second start and I’m just happy to be on him.”
Bred in Kentucky by Mike Freeny and Pat Freeny, Iron Honor was a $475,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He banked $165,000 for the Gotham victory.
The 74th running of the Gotham marked the final edition at Aqueduct before it moves to Belmont Park next year. The historic prep has produced one Kentucky Derby winner — 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat.
