The Intercontinental (Grade 2)- $250.00 Purse
SAR- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
June 4, 2026

On Thursday, we’ll have a field of nine taking part in the Grade 2 Intercontinental at SAR, which is a turf sprint for older females. This race first appeared in 2015 at BEL, and saw Maxmillion Farm’s Natural Flower win the first two editions of the race. After those races, it would gain graded status, but has seen it’s distance shrink from seven furlongs to the present five and a half while being a part of the Belmont Racing Festival here at the Spa. Sister Nancy was last year’s Intercontinental champion, doing so for D J C Racing Stables. However, it seemed to be her last hurrah, as she struggled in three races after and has since been retired. While she won’t be back, we have nine strong ones here ready to go. Here’s a look at them!

1- Rum (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- Rum will make her stake debut here in the Intercontinental, and it is certainly a well deserved opportunity. After all, in 13 career starts, she has never failed to hit the board, while having a particular liking for finishing second. Her most recent race saw a victory at PRX in an optional claimer against three others. SRF’s are consistently in the mid-90’s and perhaps the trainer wanted to see a little more in that regard to move her forward before, but now, she gets the chance.

2- Emily (Nakamura Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Last year, Emily had a breakout season, with five wins over nine races. Among them, was a stretch of four consecutive wins that culminated here in July at the Grade 3 Caress. The streak would end at the $2,000.00 Grade 2 KD Ladies Sprint with a seemingly respectable fourth place run, but it’s the last time that we would see her at the graded level. A couple of subpar outings in ungraded races did not help her cause to bounce back, and she’s been in open allowances since. Now, she’ll make her return to the graded ranks.

3- Frozen Mist (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- While last year’s Intercontinental winner is not here, we do have the one who finished second. For Frozen Mist, that race was her first for Maxmillion Farm, and she still earned a 102 SRF for the race. Two starts later, she’d turn the tables on Sister Nancy in the $2,000.00 KD Ladies Sprint. That would be one of her two wins on the year, but perhaps the best was still to come. Frozem Mist has begun her five year old campaign with three straight wins, and the last two have been in Grade 2’s. Last month, she was victorious in the Sidney, and looks promising to do one spot better in the Intercontinental this year.

4- When Doves Cry (Big Jd Racing, ridden by A Fresu)- The biggest wins for When Doves Cry happened two years ago, when she won a total of four ungraded stakes. Early last year, she was moved into graded competition, and was able to pick up third and fourth place checks, before scoring a win in another ungraded stake, this the $150.00 Smart N Fancy right here in August. She’s remained a steady runner every time out, but has been missing a little something that was needed to return to the winner’s circle. While she did manage to do so in her last race, it was in an open allowance at SA against three others. Sometimes those SA open allowances are an unofficial ungraded stake, but looking at the field, I don’t think that was the case in that one. Can be competitive here, but I’d consider her more for the back end of trifectas than on top.

5- Smokin Cherie (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by T Gaffalione)- This filly sure was smokin’ hot last year when she rolled off a five race winning streak. That run began modestly at LAD, but would go on to include a pair of Grade 3’s: The Glen Cove and the Pebbles, both at the Big A. Against tougher competition in the Pegasus F & M Turf (Grade 2), she was no where to be found at the end, and was flat in the CD Distaff Turf Mile (Grade 2) as well. Sure, the field here is not quite as strong as those but I wouldn’t call it too drastic of a drop off. We’re going to need to see that side of her that ran at AQU.

6- Code Red And Ready (Ajm Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- After a long career in overnights, and moving between some pretty large barns, Code Red And Ready has been at her best with Ajm Stables. The mare was picked up in the December 2025 auction for $34.010, and not too long after, she would run second in the $100.00 Irish Stakes, for CA-breds, which showed she was capable of doing even more. Three weeks later, she earned a 101 SRF while running second in her graded debut at the Giants Causeway, just missing out to Frozen Mist. Still working well, and may be able to get a little revenge on that one.

7- Sweet Dilemma (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by R Santana Jr)- Not likely to attract the same interest at the betting window that her stablemate will, but Sweet Dilemma could be a sneaky play with some value here. She’s raced on both the dirt and the turf recently, and had a strong stretch of three races this winter on the grass. This includes running second at the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at SA. Also, she did win the $125.00 Queen Stakes on the main track at TP two back as well, but this will be one of the tougher tests that she has had for a little while and that is something that could have her lost in the shuffle of more appealing options here. Always puts in a good effort, and here should be no different.

8- Stellar Strength (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This six year old mare by Neon Wolf has been showing plenty of strength throughout her career with 12 wins over 31 starts, and judging by all the close calls that she has had over the last calendar year, she could have at least four more. She is simply a horse that knows how to cash a check, doing so all but once since August 2024. Her Grade 3 Sidney win in 2025 is likely her career highlight, but the largest check she’s earned was from finishing second in the $2,000.00 KD Ladies Sprint (to Frozen Mist) in August. Ran third in this race last year, as well.

9- Borgin And Burkes (Delta Farms, ridden by F Pennington)- Until running in the $100.000 Charge Stakes in March, for LA-breds, in March, Borgin And Burkes had exclusively run in overnights. She had been very consistent, primarily running at LAD, PRX, and TAM, before winning the Charge. This will be her biggest test, and one that she has earned. However, nothing but her best can happen on Thursday.

Prediction: 3-6-8-4

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES