1/30/2021

  1   OP      The Martha Washington [KYO]

            $200.000     3yoF     1m   Dirt         121lbs +penalties

It looks like Intercontinental burst on the KYO scene with a  head-turning three-length win in Saturday’s Martha Washington at OP.  The Fractious trained filly stalked the pace, responded when asked, then pulled away as much the best to stop the teletimer at 1:37 flat for the flat mile on a strip labeled good.  Dan Patch, the 7/2 post time favorite, raced close up throughout and settled for the second spot, just a head in front of a fast closing Gracie G.  Greek Time was fourth. 

The field got away from the gate with the short run to the clubhouse turn and Geek Time was on the early gas along the rail, Intercontinental, Smiling Lucy and Dan Patch pressing the early pace, Priddy from the outside, Steppin Out along the inside just in behind that lead pack, then another group that included Form Fitting, Love Of The Game, Foregone Conclusion and Gracie G, as Brooklyn Bride was away slowest of all.

Around the clubhouse turn and onto the backside, they had six furlongs to run and Smiling Lucy up to show the way by two lengths.  Intercontinental between horses, Dan Patch towards the outside and Geek Time on the rail, in hot pursuit, a gap of two back to the trio of Foregone Conclusion, Steppin Out skimming the paint and Priddy between that pair, then another length and a half to Gracie G in the three path, Love Of The Game saving ground and Form Fitting between that duo, as Brooklyn Bride trailed.

The field made their way down the backside and now into the far turn with three-eighths of a mile to run and Intercontinental moved up when asked to take the lead by a length.  Smiling Lucy along the rail, Dan Patch in the three path, a gap back to Geek Time losing ground, Foregone Conclusion four wide, Love Of The Game on her inside and Steppin Out closer to the rail, another gap to Priddy, Gracie G on her outside, back to the rail for Form Fitting and Brooklyn Bride could still see them all.

Swing around the far turn and into the lane, they moved past the furlong marker and this one was becoming a laugher as Intercontinental had skipped off to lead by three.  Dan Patch in second and clear of Smiling Lucy, Geek Time on the rail, Gracie G trying to rally from the far outside, back towards the inside for Steppin Out and Foregone Conclusion had a clear path if she could mount a charge… the rest were struggling to get home and the race to the wire was on.

Inside the final 150-yards and to the finish, this was all about Intercontinental as she cruised home to win by three easy lengths.  Dan Patch held off the late efforts of Gracie G as they were second and third, then Geek time in fourth.  Smiling Lucy was fifth Brooklyn Bride closed a gap late to be sixth, Steppin Out seventh, Foregone Conclusion eighth, Form Fitting ninth, Love Of The Game was tenth and Priddy closed this one out. 

Intercontinental is a 3yo bay filly by Cherokee Sunset – Queen Charlemagne, by Kingslayer, she was bred in Cal by Serenity Stables, and was purchased by Fractious prior to her racing career for $225.000.  She broke her maiden in her previous start and now has two wins from eight starts and earnings of $163.080.  In my eye this was a dominating performance in a good field and she should be feared moving forward.

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Good               Time: :23³  :47²  1:11¹  1:37
$1 Exacta: 3 – 7 Paid 57.50                $1 Trifecta: 3 – 7 – 9 Paid 560.50
Scratched: Silver Cobra

Categories: FEATURED STORIES, STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded