Former champion Scorpiancer takes Iroquois Steeplechase for a second

Scorpiancer returned to his best form while pulling out a second victory in the $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (G1) at Percy Warner Park in Nashville on Saturday.

Winner of the three-mile hurdle in 2017, the year he was was voted champion of the division, Scorpiancer entered Saturday's race off only one start since that win two years ago. In the April 20 Temple Gwathmey (G3), the 10-year-old stopped and was pulled up after racing prominently.

There was no stopping the former champion this time, as he dueled through the stretch with Surprising Soul before edging clear to win by approximately one length. The latter just held off the hard-charging gray Moscato for second, while All the Way Jose, who led most of the way, weakened to fourth.

Scorpiancer is owned by Bruton Street-US, trained by Jack Fisher, and was ridden by regular pilot Sean McDermott.