Photo:
Sue Kawczynski / Eclipse Sportswire
Iron Honor will likely point to the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 19 at Parx, Brown said after the Preakness runner-up finished a four-length third in the nine-furlong Haskell (G1) on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
“Whatever I do with him going forward, which is likely the Pennsylvania Derby, keep him at that distance, I might put that blinker back on, we’ll see how he trains,” Brown said. “Just trying to figure out how to get him in the winner’s circle in a Grade 1. He’s not far away, but he certainly hasn’t broke through there yet either.”
The Nyquist bay, who ran without blinkers for the second consecutive time in five career starts, rallied three-wide from fifth over the sloppy and sealed dirt but never threatened winner Baby Vino or Napoleon Solo. Iron Honor races for St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence and Glassman Racing.
“He was kind of off and on the bridle again, sort of like in the Preakness, I’m not sure if he needs a blinker again or if it was just the track,” Brown said. “I thought he’d like it, it didn’t look like he loved it to me. Halfway through the race I thought he wasn’t running at all, then he came on again. He ran a solid enough race to be third. I was disappointed that he wasn’t able to win the race particularly when Further Ado looked like he wasn’t having his best day. That was the time to win.”