2023 Kentucky Derby trail: Iroquois Stakes odds, free PPs

The 2023 Kentucky Derby trail begins Saturday at the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes. Post time is 4:55 p.m. EDT. Echo Again (2-1) is the morning-line favorite for the race. Damon's Mound (5-2) won the Saratoga Special Stake on Aug. 13. Confidence Game (12- 1) scored a second-out maiden win on Churchill’s Arlington Million (G1). Jace's Road (7- 2) has won at Ellis Park on August 6.

1. Hayes Strike (Kenny McPeek and Brian Hernandez Jr.) is 12-1 for the Iroquois Stakes.

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Jace”s Road going out to an early lead under jockey Florent Geroux. Echo Again (Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario) is the favorite.

Matt Shifman offers Iroquois Stakes odds and analysis. Ron Flatter writes that the Iroqois race is akin to the Hall of Fame Game. Kaitlin Free talks about the opening of the September meet in Kentucky and Saturday’s Iroque and Pocahontas Stake. The first points preps for Kentucky Derby 2023 and the Kentucky Oaks are held. The Woodbine Mile and Iroquin St.akes have Breeders' Cup implications.

There are several graded stakes taking place across North America on Saturday. All post times are EDT.

$700,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies, 1 3/8 miles (turf), Aqueduct, FS2. McKulick (4-5) headlines the third leg of the filly division of New York Racing Association’s Turf Triple series. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Frankel filliks (Frankel won the Belmont Oaks in July and the Saratoga Oaks (Oaks Invite Stake (3). Toskana Belle (7-2) makes her North American debut after winning the German Oaks on Aug. 7 at Dusseldorf. Beside Herself ( 4-1) steps up in class for trainer Todd Pletcher after a Saratsog allowance race on August 25.

Summer Stakes (G1) is at Woodbine, 2-year-olds, one mile (turf) on the turf. Mysterious Night makes his North American debut for trainer Charlie Appleby. William Buick rides Dark Angel colt in this Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Kevin Attard trains Philip My Dear (2-1), 2 for 2 in Soaring Free Stake at the Wood bine. Appraise (5-2) was fourth in Saratoga”s Skidmore Stages on Aug. 19 for Brown.

Crazy Beautiful drops in class after finishing fourth at Saratoga in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1). Julien Leparoux will ride Liam's Map filly. Played Hard aims for a stakes breakthrough off an allowance win at the Sar atoga. Modern Games makes his first start for Appleby since a gate scratch snafu overshadowed his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf win last November at Del Mar. Buick rides Dubawi colt, runner-up July 27 in Goodwood”s Sussex Stake ( G1), in this Breeder Cup Mile qualifier. Paulo Lobo trains Ivar, a Grade 1 winner.

$1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds, 1.1 miles (turf) at Aqueduct. Nations Pride won the Saratoga Derby on August 6 and finished third in the Belmont Derby. Classic Causeway won Belmonter Derby and came third at Saratsoga. Ardakan finished 3rd in Grosser Preis von Berlin on Aug. 14 at Hoppegarten.

$300,000 Pocahontas Stakes (G3), 2-year-old fillies, 1 1.1 miles, Churchill Downs. Justa Warrior (4-1) is 2 for 2, including an Ellis Park Debutante Stake win Aug. 14. Grand Love (9-2) won by 4 3/4 lengths at Saratoga. Grade 3 heroine Naughty Gal (5-5) faded to ninth Sept. 4 at the Spinaway Stages ( G1). Natalma St.akes is $500,00 (about US$377,K) for two- and three-five-mile races.