Three-year-olds who have just one career start at this point in the year are usually not viewed as Triple Crown prospects.
Iron Honor's dazzling Dec. 13 career debut, however, was anything but typical.
Though trainer Chad Brown feared the 6-furlong distance would be too short for him, the son of Nyquist posted a 1 1/2-length maiden victory in 1:11.23, which generated the kind of speed figures generally associated with a top contender for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
"The race came up really fast. A little faster than I would have expected for that time of year. The Kentucky Derby is probably a big ask, but we're going to give him a chance and go from there. It's really a race-by-race question with him," Brown said.
A better picture of Iron Honor's upside should come Feb. 28 when he faces seven rivals in the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack, a test that could put him in the mix for at least one of the Triple Crown races.
In a stakes that features no one with a two-turn win outside of Mahoning Valley Race Course, Iron Honor faces the same distance question as virtually everyone else in the field.
The Gotham is the third of four Kentucky Derby preps for 3-year-olds at the Big A, but it is also a backward step. The series opened with the mile Jerome Stakes on Jan. 3, moved on to the two-turn, 1 1/8-mile Withers Stakes on Feb. 6 and now, nine weeks away from the first Saturday in May, shifts back to a flat mile for the Gotham.
But since it offers 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, the Gotham winner is assured of a spot in the opening jewel of the Triple Crown, if the connections believe their 3-year-old will be ready May 2 to run a grueling 1 1/4 miles.
That's a gigantic if, considering a Gotham winner has not captured the Run for the Roses since Secretariat in 1973.
"He lacks experience but speed-wise he fits," Brown said. "I don't think he's a sprinter. I didn't think he'd win going three-quarters (of a mile). I thought he needed more distance but he was ready to run. Then he needed time to get over that fast effort, and had a nice month of training in Florida. He's moving forward. A lot depends on how he runs Saturday. If he wins the right way, he could go to the Wood Memorial."
The Wood Memorial (G2) will be run April 4 at at 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct.
Owned by St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, and Glassman Racing, Iron Honor was bred by Mike and Pat Freeny out of the winning Blame mare Orencia. He was bought for $475,000 from the Gainesway consignment by bloodstock agent Monique Delk at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
The main threat could come from Balboa, who was second by 2 lengths in the Jerome and third by 3 1/2 lengths before that behind Brown's top Triple Crown candidate, Paladin, last year in the Remsen Stakes (G2).
Originally trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, he's now in Maryland with Brittany Russell for the bulky ownership group of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
The Not This Time colt, who was an $875,000 buy at the Keeneland September Sale, already has nine qualifying points.
Creole Chrome was entered in the Gotham, but will instead run in a stakes for Louisiana-breds at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Saturday.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, February 28, 2026, Race 10Entries: Gotham S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Balboa (KY) Sheldon Russell 123 Brittany T. Russell - 2 Hammond (KY) Jaime Rodriguez 123 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. - 3 Crown the Buckeye (OH) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 123 Michael J. Maker - 4 Fourth and One (NY) Jose Lezcano 123 Jeremiah C. Englehart - 5 Right to Party (KY) Christopher Elliott 123 Kenneth G. McPeek - 6 Iron Honor (KY) Manuel Franco 123 Chad C. Brown - 7 Exhibition Only (KY) Ruben Silvera 123 Rudy R. Rodriguez - 8 Creole Chrome (LA) Jaime A. Torres 123 Joe Sharp - 9 Dirty Rich (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 123 Peter Miller -
