Salahudin and Manuka Honey put first gear on the road to Kentucky 2027
The favorites took top honors in the Iroquois (G3) and the Pocahontas (G3), respectively, at Churchill Downs, becoming the initial leaders on the roads to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1); the Bob Bafferttrainee rallied from off the pace to maintain his undefeated record
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— The road to Kentucky 2027 began right where it will culminate several months from now: beneath the iconic twin spires of Churchill Downs. Salahudin and Manuka Honey captured Saturday's Iroquois Stakes (G3) and Pocahontas Stakes (G3), respectively, officially opening the qualifying series toward the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Both arrived undefeated, both started as favorites, and both had to work considerably harder than anticipated. Both, however, delivered the necessary answers when put to the test.
The most exciting impression was left by Salahudin, a imposing son of Uncle Mo whom Bob Baffert still considers to be well within his developmental curve. The trainer had predicted that stepping up to the mile distance and taking on the long stretch at Churchill Downs would play right into his colt's hands. He was proven dead right.
Salahudin broke last in the seven-runner field, but José Ortiz refused to panic. The jockey, who won this year's Kentucky Derby aboard Golden Tempo (Curlin), had carefully studied the colt’s two previous victories under Florent Geroux, who was sidelined after a spill during Thursday's card.
“I saw that he usually breaks a little sluggishly on the first stride. I tried to help him out, get him outside, and let him run, because that’s what Flo used to do,” explained Ortiz.
While Bearamour (Vekoma) set the tempo under pressure from He Is No Lie (Early Voting), posting an initial half-mile in 46s35/100, Salahudin still had only a single rival beaten behind him.
The scenario began to shift around the far turn. The Zedan Racing Stables representative gradually uncorked his massive stride and launched a wide rally, though one final obstacle remained: his own greenness.
He Is No Lie assumed control as Bearamour began to retreat, while Real Goodbar (Authentic) also joined the fray. Salahudin closed in, appeared to momentarily lose focus, and ultimately locked back in once Ortiz asked him for his full effort.
That was when his finest version emerged. The favorite eventually wore down He Is No Lie to score by half a length, while Caribbean Life (Life Is Good) rallied late to finish third, another 2 3/4 lengths behind. The final time for the mile was 1m36s54/100.
“He still has a lot to learn. He’s still a baby—a huge baby,” explained Baffert, clearly enthused by the upside he still foresees in the colt.
He then dropped a much more compelling assessment looking ahead to the first Saturday in May: “He’s truly a 2000-meter horse.”
His bloodlines fully support such grand ambitions. Salahudin hails from the penultimate crop of the late stallion Uncle Mo, sire of Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist and Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal, among others.
Bred in Kentucky by Newstead Corp., Salahudin was purchased for $325,000 by Donato Lanni, bloodstock agent for Zedan Racing, at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.
Now undefeated in three starts, he had previously won the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes (L) over 1400 meters and now secures his first graded stakes victory.
Manuka Honey remains flawless
A couple of races earlier, Manuka Honey did her part among the fillies in the Pocahontas Stakes (G3), though she too was forced to dig deep well into the stretch to keep her perfect record intact.
Scarlett Begonia (Life Is Good) and Miss Anna (Girvin) dictated terms early and turned for home locked in battle on the front end. Luis Saez began urging Manuka Honey from the turn, and for a moment it appeared she would sweep past them on the outside with ease, but the pacesetters fought back valiantly.
The favorite was pushed to her limits. For several strides, all three ran virtually locked in a triple dead heat, until Manuka Honey imposed her superior stamina to draw clear for a 2-length victory. Scarlett Begonia held on by a head to secure second over Miss Anna.
The Brian Lynch trainee stopped the clock in 1m36s90/100 for the mile.
“She really had to work for it. There were moments where I thought she had a pretty tough task ahead of her, but Luisgave her a great ride and she responded,” acknowledged Lynch.
Much like Salahudin, Manuka Honey remains undefeated in three starts. She had also previously come through Ellis Park, where she captured the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes (L) over 1400 meters.
A daughter of Upstart, she was bred by Terry Hamilton and races for a partnership comprising Hamilton alongside Lisa Lee, Jason Sciortino, William Lynch, and Brian Howe.
The Iroquois and Pocahontas distributed qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers, while also providing entry fee subsidies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), slated for October 30.
May remains a long way off and the journey has only just begun. But the initial names have now been etched into the ledger.
Salahudin and Manuka Honey arrived at Churchill Downs unbeaten, and they departed the exact same way. When the spring classic showcases return to the northern hemisphere, those iconic twin spires may very well welcome them once again.
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