By Jill Williams
Four of the six 2-year-old runners in Saturday's GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita had graded stakes experience, but it was one of the two maiden winners making his stakes debut who came home with the victory and secured a 'Win and You're In' spot for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in four weeks time. Intrepido (c, 2, Maximus Mischief–Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect), named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in his Aug. 23 Del Mar win, rated and showed fight in between horses before finishing strong to capture his first graded win and punch his ticket to championship day.
When the gates sprang, Intrepido jumped sharply, but jockey Hector Berrios eased him back slightly as $1.15-million Keeneland buy Kristofferson (Nyquist) and GSW & GISP Desert Gate (Omaha Beach)–one on either side of Intrepido–were both intent on the lead. As the two favorites–Desert Gate at 4-5 and Kristofferson at 9-5–vied for supremacy through :22.83 and :46.76 fractions, it was Desert Gate, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', holding the edge at every call while Intrepido was in tight between horses behind them and even forced at one point to take up slightly off heels.
“It was a bit of a complicated race at the start,” said Berrios. “I tried to go to the front, but I saw [Desert Gate] break first, so I settled into second. From the first turn, I had to ease back a little. And again around 600 meters I had to hold.”
On the turn, Desert Gate dismissed Kristofferson as Intrepido went around the latter, tipping several paths wide to avoid him and bumping soundly with GI Del Mar Futurity third Civil Liberty (Independence Hall). While all that was happening in the middle of the track, GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf runner-up Plutarch (Into Mischief) cut the corner to challenge Desert Gate and gradually wore him down in a long battle, finally getting his head in front a sixteenth from home. Plutarch looked to have it won in the last strides, but Intrepido found another gear in the final sixteenth to catch the dueling pair yards from the wire. He flew by late on the outside, getting the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.67.
“When I made my move to the outside he responded,” continued Berrios, “although not very strongly at first. But when I asked him again, he responded and produced an impressive change of pace and flew down the final stretch. He's an amazing horse. I'm very proud of the effort he showed today.”
Intrepido was a $385,000 purchase at the OBS April sale by Michael Pender for Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. He was the only member of the field to have previously won at a mile and one of only two not trained by Bob Baffert.
“He's a nice horse, a really nice horse,” said trainer Jeff Mullins.
Intrepido debuted July 26 at Del Mar with a fourth sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs behind unbeaten $3-million OBS March topper, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', and GI Del Mar Futurity winner Brant (Gun Runner), then got his own 'Rising Star' title and first win going a mile over that same surface Aug. 23 after he dueled at the start and pulled clear impressively in the lane. He is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup, but is eligible for nomination for the $2-million Juvenile at $100,000.
Pedigree Notes:
Maximus Mischief is the sire of four graded winners from his three crops to race, including his first-crop runner and MGISW Raging Torrent, whose retirement was announced this summer and who will be a new stallion next season at Lane's End. Maximus Mischief, who stands at Spendthrift alongside his sire, Into Mischief, has 14 black-type winners.
Sierra Fria Farm bred Intrepido in Kentucky out of the placed mare Overly Indulgent, who went through an auction ring once, only to be a $14,000 RNA at the Fasig-Tipton New York yearling sale in 2013. She hails from the same family as 2008 GIII LeComte Stakes winner and GII Arkansas Derby second Z Fortune (Siphon {Brz}) and has now produced one of the 16 stakes winners out of daughters of Pleasantly Perfect. While Overly Indulgent and her dam were bred in New York, some of their immediate tail-female ancestors were bred in Minnesota, South Carolina, and Indiana, not always spots commonly known to produce an eventual Grade I winner among a mare's descendants.
Overly Indulgent has a yearling colt by Caracaro, an Apr. 15-foaled filly by Fulsome, and was covered by Maximus Mischief once again for next term.
#2 INTREPIDO ($19.60) had a strong kick late to get up and win the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. The son of Maximus Mischief (@spendthriftfarm) earned a spot in the @FanDuel @BreedersCup Juvenile (G1). @HIBerrios was up for @Jmullinsracing. pic.twitter.com/Hi6ZaX19ou
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 4, 2025
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
AMERICAN PHAROAH S. PRESENTED BY DK HORSE-GI, $300,500, Santa Anita, 10-4, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.67, ft.
1–INTREPIDO, 122, r, 2, by Maximus Mischief
1st Dam: Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect
2nd Dam: Wittenberg Miss, by Smart Strike
3rd Dam: Fortunate Faith, by Fortunate Prospect
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($30,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $385,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC; B-Sierra Fria Farm LLC (KY); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $180,000. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $232,800. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Desert Gate, 122, c, 2, Omaha Beach–Theogony, by Curlin. ($125,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $260,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Pegram, Michael E., Watson, Karl and Weitman, Paul; B-Twin Oaks Bloodstock (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'
3–Plutarch, 122, c, 2, Into Mischief–Stellar Wind, by Curlin.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B. and Smith, Derrick; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.
Margins: 3/4, NO, 5 3/4. Odds: 8.80, 0.90, 8.30.
Also Ran: Civil Liberty, Balboa, Kristofferson.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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