Study Guide: 2026 Iroquois Stakes

Sep 09, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Salahudin wins the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media/Hunter Fridley)

The 2026-27 Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off on Saturday with the running of the $300,000 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, where the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1) will take place roughly eight months from now.

Nine promising young horses have entered the Iroquois, including a pair of undefeated stakes winners. Let’s meet the field:

Caribbean Life

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: CHC
Breeder: CHC
Trainer: William Walden
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (87) when winning an Ellis Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $59,512

Sire: Life Is Good
Dam: Caribbean Babe
Color: Bay

Caribbean Life impressed when debuting in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis Park last month, pressing the pace before pulling away to triumph by 3 1/4 lengths. He earned a promising 87 Brisnet Speed rating and is picking up two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat for the Iroquois, so Caribbean Life is a logical win contender.

Blessed Flyer

Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Patricia’s Hope and Mark Farrar
Breeder: C. W. Swann and Wetherbee Holdings
Trainer: Michael Tomlinson
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (93) when winning the Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $188,255

Sire: Dialed In
Dam: Introspection
Color: Dark bay/brown

Blessed Flyer is unbeaten in two starts, most notably rallying to win the six-furlong Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs by a head over Iroquois rival He Is No Lie. But Blessed Flyer hasn’t raced since June, and the Iroquois is a quarter-mile longer than the Bashford Manor, so Blessed Flyer has meaningful obstacles to overcome.

BLESSED FLYER (31-1) prevails in the Bashford Manor S. following a photo finish. The winning jockey is @b_hernandezjr, trainer Mike Tomlinson.

Bet #TwinSpires pic.twitter.com/mXdqamWXTk

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 28, 2026

Bearamour

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Charles K. Marquis
Breeder: Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson)
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: James Graham

Top Speed Rating: (80) when finishing third in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. at Ellis Park.
Total Earnings: $66,750

Sire: Vekoma
Dam: Rockport Beauty
Color: Gray/roan

Bearamour has shown early speed in both of his starts to date, including when wiring a maiden special weight by 7 1/2 lengths. But he tired to finish a distant third behind Iroquois rival Salahudin in the Ellis Park Juvenile S., and turning the tables over a longer distance in the Iroquois could be tricky.

Admiral’s Order

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Midway Racing, Michael Hancock, and Ben Colebrook
Breeder: 47 Roses
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Luan Machado

Top Speed Rating: (87) when finishing fifth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs.
Total Earnings: $81,371

Sire: Midshipman
Dam: Non Negotiable
Color: Bay

Admiral’s Order faltered in his first try against stakes competition, finishing fifth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. But that race took place on turf, and the Iroquois is a dirt race. Admiral’s Order debuted on dirt in an Ellis Park maiden special weight and led all the way to win by two lengths, so returning to dirt on Saturday could potentially trigger a rebound.

Real Goodbar

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Bayview Stables, Mark Edwards, and Mike Trout
Breeder: Louisiana Leasing
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Emmanuel Esquivel

Top Speed Rating: (69) when winning a Colonial Downs maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $42,000

Sire: Authentic
Dam: Bold Confection
Color: Bay

Real Goodbar was much the best in a one-mile maiden special weight on turf at Colonial Downs, charging from just off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths. He’s yet to race on dirt, but his pedigree suggests the surface switch won’t be an issue. As the only horse in the Iroquois field with a victory over one mile under his belt, Real Goodbar ranks as a promising win contender who shouldn’t be underestimated.

Antivenom

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: D. J. Stable
Breeder: Liberty Road Stables
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (74) when winning an Ellis Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $59,884

Sire: Candy Ride
Dam: Unrivaled Princess
Color: Chestnut

Antivenom debuted in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis Park. He dueled for the lead through a slow pace before finishing fast to score by 3 1/2 lengths. Antivenom’s strong finish down the homestretch suggests he’ll improve while stretching out over one mile, so he’s yet another logical contender in this deep and competitive Iroquois field.

Salahudin

Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables
Breeder: Newstead Corp.
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Florent Geroux

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning the Ellis Park Juvenile at Ellis Park.
Total Earnings: $210,462

Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: Weekend Strike
Color: Dark bay/brown

Salahudin is favored to win the Iroquois after opening his career with two wins from as many starts. Last time out, he trounced the Ellis Park Juvenile by 4 1/2 lengths over a field including Bearamour. That flashy victory yielded a sharp 92 Brisnet Speed rating, cementing Salahudin as the horse to beat for six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert.

𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗛𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗡 takes them gate-to-wire to win the Ellis Park Juvenile S. for jockey Florent Geroux and trainer @BobBaffert.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/N6DmNCR8Ce

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 9, 2026

He Is No Lie

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Purple Rein Racing and Mark Davis
Breeder: Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr.
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Joel Rosario

Top Speed Rating: (92) when finishing second in the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $91,950

Sire: Early Voting
Dam: Truth in the Lies
Color: Dark bay/brown

He Is No Lie put up a good fight against Blessed Flyer in the Bashford Manor, setting the pace before tiring late to finish second by a head. But he subsequently tired to finish a distant fourth in the Best Pal (G3), and since He Is No Lie has yet to race farther than six furlongs, it’s fair to wonder if tackling one mile in the Iroquois will stretch the limits of his stamina.

Real Gone

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: KMN Racing
Breeder: KMN Racing
Trainer: Patrick Biancone
Jockey: Keith Asmussen

Top Speed Rating: (88) when winning a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $26,000

Sire: Olympiad
Dam: No Better Terms
Color: Bay

Real Gone failed to factor in his debut on turf, but he improved sharply when trying dirt in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park, pulling away to win by 8 1/2 lengths with an 88 Brisnet Speed rating. The Iroquois is a much tougher race, but Real Gone can’t be counted out of the mix for a top-four finish at enticing odds.