Comport headlines Iroquois as Road to Kentucky Derby 152 begins

Sep 08, 2025 Churchill Downs Racetrack Communications

Comport wins the Ellis Park Juvenile (Photo by Coady Media)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Monday, Sept. 8, 2025) – The Road to Kentucky Derby 152 will begin Saturday at Churchill Downs where Joseph Sutton’s Ellis Park Juvenile winner Comport headlines a field of 10 aspiring 2-year-olds entered in the 44th running of the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III).

Run at one mile, the Iroquois will award the top five finishers qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a berth in next spring’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI). The race is one of five stakes on an 11-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). Other stakes events are the $300,000 Pocahontas (GIII), the kickoff to the Road to the Kentucky Oaks; $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove (GII); $300,000 Open Mind (Listed); and $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society (Listed). The Iroquois goes as Race 8 at 4:26 p.m.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Comport scored the first stakes victory of his young career when he won last month’s Ellis Park Juvenile. Prior to that win, Comport broke his maiden on debut during the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs and finished second in the Bashford Manor behind Romeo. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was in the irons for the Ellis Park Juvenile, will have the return call in the Iroquois from post No. 7.

Comport wins the Ellis Park Juvenile at @ellisparkracing! Eddie Kenneally trains the 2YO and @tyler_gaff had the mount. 🏇

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/2mTsQehLJD

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 10, 2025

The field for the Iroquois also includes Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Spice Runner, runner-up to Comport in the Ellis Park Juvenile. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Spice Runner won his debut in late May at Churchill Downs before finishing fifth in the Bashford Manor. He set the pace in the Ellis Park Juvenile but tired in the final furlong to finish second. Jockey Jose Ortiz will ride from post 5.

Asmussen has previously won the Iroquois with Lucky Player (2014), Astrology (2010) and Theskyhasnolimit (2009).

The field for the Iroquois from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Nothing Personal (Jamie Rodriguez, Greg Compton)
Sometime (Luan Machado, Mark Simms)
No More Cents (Irad Ortiz Jr., Kenny McPeek)
So Special (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
Spice Runner (Ortiz, Asmussen)
Shake and Rattle (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux)
Comport (Gaffalione, Kenneally
Vost (Florent Geroux, Will Walden)
Nine Ball (Jaime Torres, Riley Mott)
Maximus Prime (Luis Saez, Anthony Mitchell)

The Iroquois is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Dirt Dozen” series where the top three finishers earn credits toward entry fees in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) on Friday, Oct. 31 at Del Mar.

Saturday’s program also features College Day at Churchill Downs where $20,000 in scholarships will be awarded to college students in partnership with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. Along with the scholarship giveaways, fans will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with Bellarmine University’s men’s basketball team. Admission is free with a valid student ID.

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