Musing on his stable's prospects for the card early Sept. 12, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said that Salahudin, his favorite for the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) would appreciate stretching out to a mile, and every inch of the long Churchill Downs stretch.
That statement turned out to be prophetic.
Salahudin, the big, still-maturing colt, was away last in the field of seven, but found his best gear late for a half-length victory, as the roads toward the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) officially got underway Saturday evening, right where they will end—beneath the twin spires.
Zedan Racing Stables' Salahudin is the first colt to put his name atop the points leaderboard for the Derby with his victory in the one-turn mile. Earlier on the card, Manuka Honey won the sister race, the $297,750 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) over the same trip.
The two races awarded points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale. In addition, both races also were part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. The Iroquois and Pocahontas each awarded $30,000 to the winner, $15,000 to the runner-up, and $7,500 to the show finisher to apply toward entry fees for the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), respectively.
Jose Ortiz, who won his first Kentucky Derby this year on Golden Tempo, picked up the mount on Salahudin from Florent Geroux, who remains out of action after a spill in the fourth race Sept. 10. Both Baffert and Ortiz acknowledged the work Geroux has put into developing Salahudin, riding him to wins in his first two starts, including the 7-furlong Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes Aug. 9. Ortiz said he reviewed the replays of Geroux riding the colt and thus did not panic when he broke slow and had to find a rhythm.
"I see that he kind of breaks slow the first step," Ortiz said. "I tried to help him and put him in the clear because Flo did that. He put him in the clear and let it roll. He's a big horse, so I did that. I just rode him like Flo was riding him. I watched the replay and tried to do the same thing as he did."
Salahudin still had just one horse beaten at the midway point as Bearamour, pressed by He Is No Lie, ticked off the half in :46.35 on the fast track. Coming around the far turn, Salahudin began unfurling his stride, slingshotting up four wide as Bearamour, against the rail, began to fade and He Is No Lie assumed command, with Real Goodbar also making a bid. But the eventual winner relaxed a bit.
"He still has a lot to learn," Baffert said. "He idled. He definitely did that at Ellis Park. ... He's still a baby. He's a big baby still."
Salahudin put his mind to business late and finally put away He Is No Lie. It was another 2 3/4 lengths to the rallying Caribbean Life in third. The time for the mile was 1:36.54 as Salahudin returned $3.98 as the favorite.
"He's a true mile-and-a-quarter kind of horse," Baffert said. "Turning for home, I'm glad he didn't make the lead too early, because he'll do that, he'll idle a little bit. But it's just perfect progression the way he's going. He's still growing and still learning, so it's exciting."
Salahudin is from the penultimate crop of the late champion Uncle Mo, who proved he could get a mile-and-a-quarter horse and then some. The stallion, who stood at Coolmore's Ashford Stud prior to his death in late 2024, sired 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Mo Donegal . Salahudin was bred in Kentucky by Newstead Corp., and was a $325,000 purchase by Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing, from the Denali Stud consignment at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale.
Video: Iroquois S. (G3)
Manuka Honey Remains Unbeaten
Two races earlier, Manuka Honey was a 2-length winner of the Pocahontas, also having to do some work to get up late as the favorite.
Scarlett Begonia, who had been involved with the pace throughout, and pace-pressing Miss Anna were engaged in a battle entering the stretch. Manuka Honey began a long drive around the turn and appeared poised to sweep by outside, but the battling top two kicked back away by a little more than a length. With Luis Saez urging strongly, Manuka Honey gradually ate into the margin with the fillies briefly racing three across the track and then got their measure late.
"She really had to work for it today, and there were some stages I thought she had a task ahead of her," trainer Brian Lynch said. "But Luis gave her a great ride, and she just laid it down."
Scarlett Begonia held second by a head over Miss Anna. Manuka Honey finished the mile in 1:36.90, returning $3.92 as the favorite. Manuka Honey is also unbeaten in three starts, and also came through Ellis Park, winning the 7-furlong Ellis Park Debutante Stakes. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Terry Hamilton and, after she did not meet her reserve as a yearling, is now campaigned by Hamilton in partnership with Lisa Lee, Jason Sciortino, Willian Lynch, and Brian Howe. She became the eighth graded stakes winner for sire Upstart , who most recently stood for a private fee at Airdrie Stud.
