Intricate Spirit secures Breeders’ Cup berth in G3 Futurity

Intricate Spirit relinquished the early lead to Longshoreman, but turned the tables on that rival when it mattered most in Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Futurity, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for juveniles, at Belmont at the Big A.

In victory, Intricate Spirit earned a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on October 31 at Del Mar as part of the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

Trained by Miguel Clement for West Point Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, Kenneth Beitz and Gail Beitz, the Complexity bay entered from a close runner-up effort in a restricted allowance sprint on August 28 at Kentucky Downs. There, Intricate Spirit set the pace going 6 1/2 furlongs and finished three-quarter-lengths behind Street Beast, who exited to win the Listed Juvenile Mile at the same site. 

There was no stopping Intricate Spirit on Friday as he earned a second win to go along with a debut graduation sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on August 1 at Saratoga Race Course. 

“I think five [furlongs] or six is more his game than 6 1/2 [furlongs] at Kentucky Downs, so I was expecting a better effort today,” said Clement. “We were very disappointed he got beat at Kentucky Downs - especially an allowance - but in hindsight I suppose his form was flattered.”

Piloted by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, who was aboard for his other two starts, Intricate Spirit exited post 2 sharpest of all, but Rosario allowed the Manny Franco-piloted Longshoreman to hustle up after a stumbling start and grab a narrow advantage through an opening quarter-mile in 21.31 seconds over the firm turf. 

Longshoreman held a half-length advantage over the patiently-handled Intricate Spirit along the rail in the turn followed by the favored Belgian, an impressive off-the-turf debut winner at Saratoga, with Attfield, Channel the Music and Expressway looming off the pace. Rounding for home, Rosario tipped Intricate Spirit out to the two-path for an outside bid in pursuit of the pacesetter.

“The instructions were to break well and go forward and he [Rosario] decided to call an audible and he was probably right,” Clement said. “They were going very fast early on - 43 and change, which you don't see that often on this turf course.”

Intricate Spirit narrowed the gap soon after Longshoreman marked the half-mile in 43.91 and put his head in front to the outside through five furlongs in 55.53. The closers launched their bids and didn’t cut into the three-length deficit as Intricate Spirit battled to the outside of a game Longshoreman. 

“My horse has so much speed, so just kind of let him go out and let him go when he’s ready,” Rosario said. “He kept fighting the horse in front [Longshoreman] and it looked like I was going to get away from him for a little bit, but he was still there.”

Intricate Spirit edged clear of Longshoreman in the final sixteenth to post a 1 3/4-length score in a final time of 1:07.98. 

Attfield got up for third three-quarter-lengths back, a neck better than Expressway in fourth. Belgian and Channel the Music rounded out the order of finish. No Pressure and Outfielder were scratched, with the latter entered in a main track allowance on Saturday at Keeneland.

“He keeps moving,” Rosario said of Intricate Spirit’s kick. “I worked him in the mornings and sometimes it takes a little while for him to finish, but he’s been running really well and finishing really well in the races, so that’s good.”

Clement said he has no qualms about Intricate Spirit cutting back to five furlongs for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. 

"I don't think that will be an issue with the amount of speed he showed today and also on debut,” Clement said. “He has a tremendous amount of speed, so just let him roll. He's versatile and Joel will be able to do whatever he wants with him."

Franco said the Wesley Ward-trained Longshoreman was game in defeat. 

“He ran well. I got the horse to beat outside me, and he was chasing me, so I thought my horse was really brave. Got to give credit to the winner, too. I’m happy with the way he ran,” Franco said. 

Intricate Spirit, a half-brother to dual graded stakes-placed stablemate Spirit Prince, is out of the winning Curlin mare Dottie’s Spirit – a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Lecturing Lynn. His third dam, A Chance of Storm, is a full-sister to 1992 Grade 1 Alabama-winner November Snow. He banked $96,250 in victory while returning $7.82 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont at the Big A with a loaded 12-race card that features a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers for 2-year-olds with the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne [Juvenile] in Race 7 and the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo [Juvenile Fillies Turf] in Race 8. The stacked program is supported by the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette, part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen series in Race 6, the Grade 2, $500,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in Race 4 and the restricted $125,000 Discovery in Race 2. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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