SALAHUDIN Overcomes Slow Start to Win Iroquois and Take the first 10 points on Road to Kentucky Derby 2027

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Road to the Kentucky Derby 2027 officially has its first leader.

Salahudin, the undefeated 2-year-old trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, overcame another slow start before producing a determined stretch run to capture Saturday’s $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, earning the first 10 qualifying points toward the 153rd Kentucky Derby.

Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Salahudin defeated He Is No Lie by a half-length after completing the mile over a fast track in 1:36.54.

Caribbean Life finished another 2 ¾ lengths behind in third, followed by Real Goodbar and Real Gone, who completed the top five.

José Ortiz steps in and delivers

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Salahudin was ridden by José Ortiz, who picked up the mount after regular jockey Florent Geroux was injured in a fall Thursday and remained hospitalized in stable condition.

Ortiz made it clear after the race that Geroux was very much on his mind.

“We were thinking about Florent today,” Ortiz said. “I was able to watch the last two replays and see how Florent rode him and how he ran.”

The information proved valuable.

Breaking from post 5 in the field of seven, Salahudin was slow into stride and found himself several lengths behind while Bearamour established fractions of :22.85 and :46.35, with He Is No Lie tracking from second.

Ortiz didn’t panic.

Instead, he allowed the imposing son of Uncle Mo to settle into his rhythm before asking him to advance approaching the far turn.

“He’s a big horse and takes a little time to get going into his best stride,” Ortiz explained. “But once he did, he kept finding more to get to the front.”

Salahudin began gathering momentum with a sweeping four-wide move around the turn. He Is No Lie, ridden by Joel Rosario, had taken command, but Salahudin continued grinding away through the stretch.

With a furlong remaining, Salahudin put his head in front.

He Is No Lie fought back, but the favorite had enough left to secure the victory by half a length.

Baffert: “He’s continued to mature each start”

For Baffert, the victory represented another important step forward for a colt who remains perfect after three starts.

“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.”

Salahudin earned $181,710, improving his career record to a perfect 3-for-3 with earnings of $392,172.

His progression has been impressive.

He debuted July 17 at Ellis Park with a two-length victory before returning to dominate the $250,000 Ellis Park Juvenile by 4 ½ lengths. The Iroquois represented his first graded-stakes test and his first opportunity to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

“It’s been a perfect progression so far to get his career started,” Baffert said. “He’s continued to mature each start.”

Bred in Kentucky by Newstead Corp., Salahudin is a dark bay or brown son of Uncle Mo out of the Smart Strike mare Weekend Strike.

First points on the Road to Kentucky Derby 153

The Iroquois officially opened the 2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, a 36-race qualifying series that will ultimately help determine the field for the 153rd Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 1, 2027 at Churchill Downs.

The first five finishers earned points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale:

Salahudin — 10 points
He Is No Lie — 5 points
Caribbean Life — 3 points
Real Goodbar — 2 points
Real Gone — 1 point

For Salahudin, the journey toward Louisville next May could hardly have started better: three starts, three victories and now the early lead on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

An intriguing performance earlier on the card

There was another 2-year-old performance Saturday at Churchill Downs that certainly deserves attention.

Coach Pope, a son of Tapit trained by Kenny McPeek and named after University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope, demolished a maiden field by 12 ½ lengths under José Ortiz.

Even more eye-catching was the clock.

Coach Pope completed the mile in 1:35.77 — 0.77 seconds faster than Salahudin’s winning time in the Iroquois later on the card.

While comparing times between races requires context, the performance immediately gives handicappers and Derby watchers another promising juvenile to follow as the season progresses.

Derby trail heats up in October

The Road to Kentucky Derby 153 continues on Saturday, October 3, with three major Grade 1 races:

The $650,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

But after the opening stop on the trail, the name sitting at the top of the leaderboard is clear.

Salahudin.

Undefeated. Three-for-three. And now officially on the road to the Kentucky Derby 2027.

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