Ironicus sets track record in Grade 2 Bernard Baruch S.

The Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) could be in the future for Distorted Humor’s 4-year-old son Ironicus following his course record-setting performance in Monday’s $250,000 Bernard Baruch S. (G2) at Saratoga.

Ironicus, who won the Dixie S. (G2) at Pimlico and ran second in Saratoga’s Fourstardave H. (G2), is one of Distorted Humor’s seven stakes winners this year. His progeny have banked more than $5.3 million to date.

Coming out of the gate, Ironicus was bumped by Constellation, who went to the lead, while Javier Castellano settled in the back of the seven-horse field. Still last after a half-mile in :46.36, Ironicus had to check slightly going into the far turn, but quickly regained momentum and began to move up between horses.

Castellano swung four wide into the stretch, and with nothing in front of him, rolled by a fading Constellation, winning by a length and a quarter over an even-running Grand Tito in course record 1:38.54.

“He’s a really nice horse,” said Castellano. “Unfortunately, last time (in the Fourstardave) it was a slow pace, the rail was too wide, and I couldn’t give the best chance to my horse. Today it was a different ballgame. No rail, and a little more speed in the race. I saved all the ground, cut the corner and really exploded very well. The mile and a sixteenth helped a lot; I think the extra sixteenth really helped me to find the kick.”
 
Ironicus increased his career earnings to $573,790 for owner/breeder Stuart Janney III while picking up his second graded stakes win of the year. 
 
“We’ve thought he was a very good horse, and he continues to improve,” said Janney. “His last couple of races have been terrific races. Last time, it didn’t set up the way we hoped. This time, he had a better trip, better pace, and he really finished beautifully. It was terrific.”
 
“After the Fourstardave I didn’t plan on running him here again but he came out of his race good and he hasn’t really been running that much,” said his Hall of Famer trainer Shug McGaughey. “So I thought we might as well give him a chance. I’m very proud of the track record, any time you can do something like that it goes on the horse’s record and you can get somebody to maybe take a look at it.”

Ironicus is the latest in a stellar group out of his dam Meghan’s Joy. Her previous offspring include Norumbega, winner of the Brooklyn Inv. (G2), Stuyvesant H. winner (G3) Hunting, and Violet S. (G3) winner Quiet Harbor.