The Saturday opener at Del Mar featured two of the sexier pedigrees in the entire 2025 crop of 2-year-olds in the form of Provenance (Into Mischief), the first foal to the races out of two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), and Plutarch (Into Mischief), a son of fellow champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind (Curlin).
But in the end, it was Intrepido (r, 2, Maximus Mischief-Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect) who stole the show, repelling a wide bid from 1-2 Provenance and shooting clear to score by 3 1/4 impressive lengths, earning a 'TDN Rising Star'.
The clear second choice in the wagering at 12-5 off a debut fourth behind 'Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) and the third-placed Balboa (Not This Time), named a 'Rising Star' himself for an open-lengths score at second asking, Intrepido hit the ground running and led through the early exchanges, but relaxed kindly enough inside of Biggiebiggiebiggie (Maclean's Music) while holding his spot at the rail through a half in :47.34.
Provenance, off slowly and then consigned to a three- and four-wide trip thereafter, came with a marauding run on the second turn to loom a brief threat passing the quarter pole, but his exertions finally took their toll and Intrepido strode home to win easily in the very strong time of 1:35.71 for the mile. Plutarch caboosed the field down the back, but found his best stride in the lane and outfinished Provenance to round out the exacta.
Intrepido fetched just $30,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, but blossomed into a $385,000 OBS April juvenile after breezing an eighth of a mile in a slick :9 4/5, albeit very greenly. Former trainer Mike Pender signed the ticket on behalf of his clients Dutch View Holdings and Irving Ventures, the same ownership that campaigns GIII Unbridled Sidney Stakes heroine Queen Maxima (Bucchero), a graduate of the OBS June Sale. The latter is expected to make her next start in the GIII Green Flash Handicap here on the GI Pacific Classic undercard on Aug. 30.
Intrepido has a yearling half-brother by Caracaro, a foal half-sister by the Into Mischief son Fulsome and his dam was most recently bred back to Maximus Mischief.
1st-Del Mar, $80,000, Msw, 8-23, 2yo, 1m, 1:35.71, ft, 3 1/4 lengths.
INTREPIDO, 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
Sales history: $30,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $385,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $52,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Dutch Girl Holdings LLC & Irving Ventures LLC; B-Sierra Fria Farm LLC (KY); T-Jeff Mullins.
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