Spice Runner edges Comport in Iroquois

Winchell Thoroughbred’s homebred Spice Runner kicked off the Road to the Kentucky Derby Series with a thrilling win in Saturday’s $300,000 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, getting up in the final strides to defeat Comport by a head. After finishing second to the same rival in the Aug. 10 Juvenile S. at Ellis Park, the Steve Asmussen-trained colt exacted a measure of revenge and picked up 10 points toward a berth in the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) next spring.

Jose Ortiz was up on the promising bay of Gun Runner and Spice Runner rated up close between rivals during the opening stages of the one-turn event, angling wide into the stretch to go after 13-10 favorite Comport, who dueled through splits in :22.69 and :46.06 before surging to a clear lead in upper stretch.

Despite drifting late, Spice Runner determinedly wore down Comfort to prevail on the wire, stopping the teletimer in 1:36.59. He went off as the 5-1 third choice in the 10-horse field.

“He’s definitely got room to grow,” Asmussen said. “The tactics he set today was a good improvement. He traveled very nicely. We might have a little mental issue because I think there’s more there. He has to be ridden hard to get there. It didn’t look like he was going to go by at first, then got a little more focused. It definitely appears the talent is there.”

The first of 36 qualifying races, the Iroquois awarded points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers.

Comport, a two-length winner of the Juvenile and runner-up in June’s Bashford Manor at Churchill two back, held second by five lengths over late-running Vost, who was closely followed by Nothing Personal. It was nearly five more lengths to Maximus Prime in fifth, and Shake and Rattle, Nine Ball, So Special, Sometime, and No More Cents completed the order.

A convincing debut winner at Churchill in late May, Spice Runner flashed early speed before weakening to fifth in the Bashford Manor next out. The bay Kentucky-bred rated kindly in the Iroquois after displaying high speed in his first three starts, a dimension that figures to serve him well when stretching out to two turns in the future.

“Last time I rode him, we were a little too close to the pace,” Ortiz said. “Steve (Asmussen) told me today to stay off the pace and let him relax. He really dug in late to get the job done. He was a little green late and switched to his left lead, but he was still coming. I think we still haven’t reached the top with him. He can still improve mentally, but he’s on the right track. I’m really excited for him.”

Sire Gun Runner offers encouragement for longer distances, but Spice Runner’s female family appears more geared toward sprints. A full brother to multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Gunite, Spice Runner’s first and second maternal dams were both sprint stakes winners.

The undercard featured the return of Bentornato, unraced since a close second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). The Grade 2 winner did not disappoint in his comeback, driving to a 5 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. 

Favored at 17-10, Bentornato completed six furlongs in 1:08.43 with Irad Ortiz Jr. Jose D’Angelo trains the four-year-old ridgling for Leon King Stable, and Bentornato logged his fifth stakes triumph. A pair of those came vs restricted rivals, and the Florida-bred son of Valiant Minister notched his first open stakes tally in the Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx two back. He’s now earned more than $1.28 million from a 10-6-2-2 record, and Bentornato appears back on track for another strong showing in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Here Mi Song rallied for second and was followed under the wire by Skelly, Roll On Big Joe, Durante, Ajaayb, Banjo Chris, and Little Ni.