Toyota Blue Grass S.

It’s been that kind of year on the 2017 road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.

It’s been the kind of year that has seen every well-regarded contender take some kind of hit, physical or otherwise, on that arduous march toward May 6. It’s been the kind of season where the moment one thought they were getting a handle on what this year’s crop of 3-year-olds was capable of, some new wrench would be tossed into the mix, causing all sorts of new contemplation.

The connections of Irap were realistic on where they thought the son of Tiznow  fit in the sophomore mix. At the top of the stretch of the $1 million, Garde 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, owner Paul Reddam was among the many who realized they better start adjusting his expectations upward where this half-brother to champion Speightstown was concerned.

In a fitting latest twist to the Triple Crown trail, 31.30-1 shot Irap became the first horse ever to break his maiden in the Blue Grass Stakes when he took command approaching the final turn under Julien Leparoux and turned back multiple Grade 1 winner Practical Joke in the lane to win Keeneland’s signature 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep race by three-quarters of a length as previously unbeaten McCraken came home third.

Of all the upstart contenders that have thrown their name into the hat for a spot in the gate for the Kentucky Derby, Irap may be the most unlikely yet. The bay colt was winless in seven starts heading into Saturday’s test and came into the race off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby on March 26.

In addition to being trained by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill, the faith that Irap could step forward came from his runner-up efforts behind Royal Mo in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 4 and to Mastery in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity last December. Even his own people didn’t dare say they expected what they got Saturday — a colt who is now third overall on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 113 qualifying points.

“When he made the lead I thought that SOB is going to hit the board here,” Reddam told TVG in an interview after he watched the Blue Grass from Santa Anita Park. “Then, about the eighth pole I was thinking man we have a chance to win here because McCraken had backed out of it and a couple other horses didn’t fire for whatever reason. I really have got to say [trainer] Doug [O’Neill] did a fantastic job - he and his team. It’s just fantastic feeling to win when you don’t think you’re going to.”