Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has entered Robert Baker and William Mack’s highly-touted Dublin in the $100,000 Iroquois (gr. III) for juveniles at a mile on the main track. A field of 12 was drawn for the Churchill Downs fall meet opening day co-feature.
Fifth as the beaten favorite in his most recent start in the Oct. 10 Champagne (gr. I) at Belmont Park, Dublin has turned in two five-furlong works at Churchill since that race.
“He has done very well since the Champagne,” said Lukas, who has given the riding assignment to Rajiv Maragh. “I did not consider the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile) with him, because I did not want to run him on the artificial (Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita).”
A $525,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase last year, Dublin debuted during the spring meet in Louisville running fourth behind two-time graded stakes winner Backtalk. Dublin returned two months later at Saratoga to break his maiden and then captured the Hopeful (gr. I) at Saratoga on Sept. 7.
“He’s my best 2-year-old and he may be one of the best in the country,” said Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby winner. “Over the past few years, he ranks right with the best that I have had. I have been high on him since day one. He has a good pedigree (Afleet Alex out of Storm Bird mare Classy Mirage) and lots of ability.”
Dublin will carry top weight of 123 pounds and break from post 6.
Coming into the Iroquois in fine form is Gleam of Hope, a City Zip colt with three consecutive wins for Anthony Reinstedler. Gleam of Hope, a homebred of Dr. and Mrs. A. C. Asbury, broke his maiden in August at Ellis Park, won a first-level allowance at River Downs two weeks later, and scored in the Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes Sept. 7 by 2 1/4 lengths over the same ground. The Churchill-based colt will be ridden by Corey Lanerie.
Undefeated in two starts at Louisiana Downs is Burning Sands Stable’s Comedero, an Arkansas-bred son of Posse. The gelding broke his maiden by a whopping 12 1/2 length Sept. 11 and then went wire-to-wire in the restricted Razorback Stakes Oct. 3—both at six furlongs. Michael Stidham now has the training duties, recently taking over for Morris Nicks. Jamie Theriot will be in the irons.
Brassy Boy was runner-up by 4 1/2 lengths to Comedero in the Razorback and will return for owner/breeder Leon Millsap. A winner of two of four starts this season, Brassy Boy runs for veteran trainer Hal Wiggins, who will retire at the end of the Churchill meet. Wiggins is the former trainer of Rachel Alexandra.
Coming off an impressive score is Triple AAA Ranch’s Arizona homebred Uh Oh Bango. The son of Top Hit was a romping 10 1/2-length winner in the Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes Sept. 18 for his second victory in three starts. He broke his maiden by eight lengths in August over the same ground. R. Kory Owens has hired Glenn Corbett to ride.
$100,000 Iroquois (gr. III, Race 10, 5:02 p.m.), 2YO, 1 Mile (Dirt) PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Raging Wit (KY), J R Leparoux, 117, W I Mott
2. Call Shot (KY), R Albarado, 117, W M Catalano
3. Oh Charlie Boy (KY), M Mena, 117, G D Foley
4. Three Day Rush (KY), E S Prado, 121, T A Pletcher
5. Brassy Boy (AR), C H Borel, 117, H R Wiggins
6. Dublin (KY), R Maragh, 123 D W Lukas
7. Uh Oh Bango (AZ), G W Corbett, 121, R K Owens
8. Soaring Empire (KY), E Castro, 117, C M Gambolati
9. Fist of Rage (KY), K J Desormeaux, 117, K G McPeek
10. Thiskyhasnolimit (KY), S Bridgmohan, 117, S M Asmussen
11. Gleam of Hope (KY), C J Lanerie, 121, A L Reinstedler
12. Comedero (AR), J Theriot, 121, M Stidham
