Salahudin overcomes tough trip, wins first Kentucky Derby qualifier in Iroquois

Favored at odds-on, Salahudin gave supporters some anxious moments when missing the break in Saturday’s $300,000 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, starting multiple lengths behind the field. His trip continued to be adventurous, as the unbeaten colt took the overland path into the far turn and was fanned at least six paths wide approaching the stretch.

But Salahudin had all the momentum while straightening for home, striking the front in upper stretch and forging his way to a short lead with a sixteenth of a mile remaining. The Bob Baffert-trained colt wound up scoring by a half-length in the end and earned 10 points winning the first Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier.

Jose Ortiz picked up the mount from an injured Florent Geroux and Salahudin completed the one-turn mile in 1:36.54.

“We were thinking about Florent (Geroux) today,” Ortiz said. “I was able to watch the last two replays and see how Florent rode him and how he ran. He broke a little slow again today but got into a comfortable rhythm. He’s a big horse and takes a little time to get going into his best stride. But once he did, he kept finding more to get to the front.”

By Uncle Mo, Salahudin broke his maiden at Ellis Park the first time out in mid-July and was exiting a win in the Ellis Park Juvenile on Aug. 9.

 “I feel so bad for Florent being injured because he got him ready,” Baffert said. “Jose Ortiz got the horse into a nice rhythm. I’m glad he was able to take his time with him up the backside and not rush him. It’s been a perfect progression so far to get his career started. He’s continued to mature each start.”

Owned by Amr Zedan, Salahudin was purchased for $325,000 as a weanling, The dark bay colt was bred by Newstead Corp. in Kentucky, and Salahudin is the second stakes winner out of the stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Weekend Strike, who also produced Group 3 English Irish winner Sizzling, a stakes winner at 1 3/4 miles.

Longer distances certainly appear to be to the advantage of Salahudin, who will stretch to two turns and bring a 3-for-3 record to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 30. 

The second-through-fifth place finishers received points on a 5-3-2-1 scale toward a Kentucky Derby berth next spring.

He Is No Lie, who tracked the pace in second during the opening stages, finished second by nearly three lengths over 2-1 second choice Caribbean Life. Real Goodbar came next in fourth and was followed by Real Gone, Bearamour, and Admiral’s Order.