Ironicus holds a strong hand in Poker

Ironicus impressed a crowd of 130,000 at Pimlico with his Dixie performance (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Ironicus (Distorted Humor), who stormed through the field to impressively capture the May 16 Dixie (G2) at Pimlico in his stakes debut, will attempt to make it two in a row when he lines up against nine others Saturday in the $300,000 Poker (G3) over a mile on the Widener turf at Belmont Park. A gray homebred racing for Stuart Janney III, Ironicus was far from an outsider betting-wise in the Dixie field of 13. First and second in a pair of allowances to start the year, word of mouth regarding his potential spread and he was sent off at only 7-1. He responded with a comfortable 2 3/4-length score, finishing up 1 1/16 miles in a swift 1:40 2/5. Trainer Chad Brown will unveil Il Campione (Scat Daddy) in the Poker. The four-year-old colt was a winner in eight of 10 outings in his native Chile, including three Group 1s from 1 1/16 miles up to 1 1/2 miles on the turf.  He won that country’s equivalent of the Two Thousand Guineas (Chi-G1) and Derby (Chi-G1) last August and October, respectively.

Long On Value (Value Plus) has turned in some shockers, taking last year’s
Twilight Derby (G2) at 11-1 and the February 21 Canadian Turf (G3) at 10-1. He
didn’t fare as well when favored at 5-2 in the Dixie, finishing an even fourth
after a wide trip.

King Kreesa (King Cugat) and Howe Great (Hat Trick), first and second in the
2013 edition of the Poker, are both looking to snap losing streaks. King Kreesa
enters off a third versus New York-breds in the $125,000 Kingston on May 25, his
fourth loss in a row, while Howe Great has not won since an April 2013 allowance
at Keeneland. However, the six-year-old held on for second after setting the
pace in the Fort Marcy (G3) last out.

Other leading contenders in the Poker include multiple Grade 3 winner Heart
to Heart (English Channel), a half-length second in the Red Bank (G3) last time;
All Included (Include), who makes his stakes debut for Todd Pletcher and is
three-for-three on turf; and Kelso H. (G2) winner Vyjack (Into Mischief), who
makes his turf debut in his first start for Bill Mott.

The field is completed by longshots Paris Vegas (Maria’s Mon) and In Speight
Ofitall (Speightstown).

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