The Iroquois Steeplechase (also known as the Iroquois Hurdle Stakes) is an American Grade I NSA sanctioned steeplechase race run the second Saturday of May every year at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
The race dates back to 1941 and has been held annually, except in 1945, due to World War II, and in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Iroquois itself is the culmination of a card of races which usually includes five to seven preliminary races, both flat races and steeplechases. The race is named for Iroquois, the first American-bred Thoroughbred to win the prestigious British Epsom Derby.
Several winners of the race have been named American Champion Steeplechase Horse, including Flatterer, Lonesome Glory, Snap Decision, Correggio, All Gong, Good Night Shirt, Pierrot Lunaire, Divine Fortune, Demonstrative, Rawnaq, and Scorpiancer.
The race is long, over national fences and for four-year-olds and over.
Records since 1991 Speed record: 5:29.40 – Victorian Hill (1991)
Most wins by a horse: 3 – Uncle Edwin (1982, 1985, 1986), 3 - Snap Decision (2021, 2022, 2024)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Blythe Miller (1991, 1992, 1995, 2002)
Most wins by a trainer: 8 – Jack Fisher (1996, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Most wins by an owner: 5 – Burton Street US (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024) 3 – Irvin S. Naylor (2010, 2011, 2016) 3 – William C. Lickle (1991, 1992, 1997)
Winners 1982–1990
1982 Uncle Edwin 1983 Census 1984 Census 1985 Uncle Edwin 1986 Uncle Edwin 1987 Flatterer 1988 Steve Canyon 1989 Kesslin 1990 Pacific Spy
1991–present Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time1991Victorian Hill6Blythe MillerJanet ElliotWilliam C. Lickle5:29.401992Victorian Hill7Blythe MillerJanet ElliotWilliam C. Lickle5:31.901993Mistico7Sanna NeilsonJonathan E. SheppardR. Dee Hubbard5:43.001994Mistico8Craig ThorntonJonathan E. SheppardR. Dee Hubbard5:28.601995Lonesome Glory7Blythe MillerF. Bruce Miller Walter M. Jeffords, Jr.5:32.801996To Ridley6Sean ClancyJack FisherMrs. F. Eugene Dixon, Jr.5:41.801997Correggio6Archibald KingsleyJanet ElliotWilliam C. Lickle5:51.801998Rowdy Irishman9Vincent MarzulloBruce HaynesVesta Balestiere5:51.801999Rowdy Irishman10Vincent MarzulloBruce HaynesVesta Balestiere5:50.602000Pinkie Swear6Sean ClancyCharles Fenwick Jr.Arcadia Stable5:50.002001Rand7Eddie LambMark OulaghanEamon Cleary5:35.002002All Gong8Blythe MillerF. Bruce MillerCalvin Houghland5:32.402003Pelagos8Tom FoleyF. Bruce MillerMr. & Mrs. Michael E. Hoffman5:46.602004Tres Touche7David BentleyRichard HendicksEstate of Barracuda Stables5:38.602005Sur La Tete7Christopher ReadNeil R. MorrisKinross Corporation5:47.402006Sur La Tete8Christopher ReadNeil R. MorrisKinross Corporation5:47.602007Good Night Shirt6Willie DowlingJack FisherHarold A. Via Jr.5:50.402008Good Night Shirt7Willie DowlingJack FisherHarold A. Via Jr.5:47.602009Pierrot Lunaire5Chip MillerF. Bruce MillerCalvin Houghland6:27.402010Tax Ruling7Darren NagleDesmond FogartyIrvin S. Naylor5:37.202011Tax Ruling8Darren NagleBrianne A. SlaterIrvin S. Naylor5:46.202012Arcadius8Brian CrowleyJonathan E. SheppardHudson River Farms5:36.202013Demonstrative6Robert WalshRichard L. ValentineMrs. George L. Ohrstrom Jr.5:42.202014Divine Fortune11William McCarthyJonathan E. SheppardWilliam L. Pape & Jonathan E. Sheppard5:39.402015Demonstrative8Jack DoyleRichard L. ValentineMrs. George L. Ohrstrom Jr.5:47.602016Rawnaq9Jack DoyleCyril MurphyIrvin S Naylor5:42.402017Scorpiancer8Sean McDermottJack FisherBruton Street US5:37.002018Zanjabeel5Ross GeraghtyRichard J HendricksRosbrian Farm5:36.402019Scorpiancer10Sean McDermottJack FisherBruton Street US5:43.80 2020 Not held due to COVID-192021Snap Decision7Graham WattersJack FisherBruton Street US2022Snap Decision8Graham WattersJack FisherBruton Street US5:40.202023Scaramanga8Paul TownendWillie MullinsMalcolm C. Denmark 5:49.202024Snap Decision10Graham WattersJack FisherBruton Street US5:32.402025Abaan8Bernie DaltonKate DaltonEclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Daigneault Thoroughbreds 5:42
References