NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Riverdee Stable's Zabeel Champion (GB) came flying at the very end to win the $250,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Stakes in a dramatic finish on Saturday, May 8 at the Iroquois Steeplechase.

Zabeel Champion, in blue silks and red cap, caught Swore in the last stride to win the Iroquois (Photo by TodMarks)Trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Freddie Procter, Zabeel Champion won the G1, 3 mile Stakes by a neck over Swore, trained by Keri Brion and Ziggle Pops (GB), also trained by Fisher.

Iroquois was dominated by just a few big names.

Fisher and Riverdee teamed up to win the G1Stakes and the Novice Hurdle Stakes and also finish second in the Allowance Timber, while Gordon Elliot brought two over from Ireland to win for Ricky Hendriks' owners, Leamington and Del Rio, and those two will stay with Hendriks, who also won a Stakes on the card. 

In the Iroquois, Swore had led throughout the entire race and looked like a sure winner until Zabeel Champion came from out of nowhere.

"That was some run," said Sean Clancy, manager of Riverdee Stable. "He was eighth turning for home. Who ever wins the Iroquois when you're eighth turning for home."

 

"HE'S ALWAYS been a good horse," said Clancy. "He was a very good flat horse in England. He was third in the Iroquois two years ago, just 1 1/2 lengths behind Snap Decision when Snap set the track record. And his win in the Temple Gwathmey last month was so good."

Coutach, number 4, and Cyber Ninja take a jump early in the Novice Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)"I kept running into traffic," said Procter. "I finally found an opening right at the end."

The Iroquois is the longest hurdle race, and the only 3 mile race for steeplechasers.

"He's an easy horse to manage because he's such a specialist," said Clancy. "He's not a summer horse. He wants a longer race and a bit of cut in the ground. We'll put him away until the fall and then maybe go to Foxfield and then the Grand National."

Swore was absolutely awesome yesterday while taking an incredibly tough beat on the line ," said Brion.. "He jumped for fun, led all the way to the final stride, and proved he belongs in the conversation as one of the best horses in the country. A year ago, he hadn’t even run in a jump race, which is mind blowing when you think about what he’s accomplished in such a short period of time. I am so incredibly proud of him."

Riverdee Stable's Rocket One, trained by Fisher and ridden by Jamie Bargary, won the $125,000, 2 1/4 mile  Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes, division two, by 1/2 length over Mr. Percy (Ire), trained by Neil Morris, and Predominate, trained by Todd McKenna.

"Rocket One traveled beautifully, jumped fantastic, and landed running over the last," said  Bargary.

"He had two years off," said Clancy of Rocket One, who hadn't run since 2024 before finishing second in April in the Daniel Van Clief Memorial Stakes. "Jack did a great job with him. He was very patient. We could have brought him back earlier, but he's a nice horse, and we wanted to give him time."

"He's a big, beautiful horse," said Clancy. "He was a $600,000 yearling. He has a lovely demeanor. You can put him anywhere. Maybe he'll go to Saratoga. I'll have to talk to Jack."

"This was as good a day of racing as we've ever seen," Clancy said. "Big crowds, big fields and very good horses. There were a lot of flat owners there, and it's nice to show off our sport this way. Iroquois management was great. They split the Novice and put a full $125,000 purse in both divisions."

Irish top trainer Gordon Elliott saddled Leamington Racing's Famous Figure, ridden by Ireland's champion jockey Jack Kennedy, to win the $60,000 Maiden Hurdle Sweepstakes by 6 1/4 lengths over McLovin,, trained by Kate Dalton, and Really Good, trained by Matthew Sims.

"We didn't do much of a gallop early on, and that played into my hand," said Kennedy. "It's a great opportunity to come over her, so I'm glad I'm based with Gordon."

"We've been coming over to the States for six or seven years now," said Elliott. "Now we have American owners sending us horses. Every time we come over we learn something. We don't use Lasix in Ireland, so I don't know a lot about it, but you have to use it here to be on equal footing."

"It's great to have American owners backing us." said Elliott, who also had a winner for Del Rio Racing, both owners with Hendriks.. "This horse is very quick, and he suits American racing. He'll stay here and go to Ricky Hendriks. I've done my job, now it's up to Ricky."

Hendriks saddled Del Rio Racing's Coutach (GB), ridden by Jake Coen to win the $125,000 Novice Stakes, first division, by a neck over Rampoldi Plan, trained by Leslie Young, and McTigue (Ire), trained by Cyril Murphy.

"He ran super," said Hendriks."I'm so delighted that Del Rio could win at home. Gordon brought him over last year for the Far Hills stakes, which he won, and then we bought him afterwards. He's a good jumper, and he's honest.We'll give him a bit of a break and take him to Saratoga."

"Last winter when I was in Ireland Gordon and I put our heads together along with the man who buys horses for him and said why don't we try my owners buying horses for you to race and then bring over here. It's working well, so I think we'll keep doing it."

Elliott then saddled Del Rio's Blue Waters (Ire), ridden by Kennedy, to win the $100,000 Filly and Mare Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over Timetoshine (Fr), trained by Mark Beecher, and Anoint, trained b Brion.

"The race went very quick early, but my mare got her feet under her," said Kennedy. "She was doing her best work at the finish."

Tom Garner saddled Butler Hall Racing's Boldog (Fr), ridden b Evan Dwan, to win the $45,000 Ratings Handicap by 5 lengths over King of Tsavo (GB), trained by Leslie Young, and Scoop the Pot,, trained by Kate Dalton.

"He relaxed and came home easily," said Dwan.

"Boldog hasn't been simple,"said Garner. "He's one of Evan's favorites. It's his first handicap win, so I'm happy."

Morris saddled Runnymoore Racing's Step Out (Ire), ridden by Graham Watters, to win the $25,000 Allowance Timber by a head over Riverdee's Potus, trained by Fisher, and Evie's Priince, trained by Morris.

"I thought we'd won a third race," said Clancy.

"He's a lovely horse," said Watters."He won at My Lady's Manor, so that set him up nicely for here. Neil moved all his horses to Aiken for the winter, so we had a lot of fun hunting there all winter."