By J.N. Campbell
Using her speed from the outside gate, Roja (Karakontie (Jpn)–Redmeansgo, by Red Ransom) made the lead and never looked back in the GII Intercontinental Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Thursday afternoon. The win was the first graded victory of her career.
In her lone 2026 start, the blazing fast filly hurdled a turf sprint versus optional claimers at Churchill Downs Apr. 29. Her first visit to the winner's circle came when she broke her maiden at third-asking just over a year ago at Laurel Park. Roja was the runner-up in the Stormy Blues Stakes over the same course June 15, then won the Blue Sparkle Stakes at Monmouth Park July 12.
Dipping into the same playbook that she used in prior starts and as a 5-1 shot here, the Graham Motion trainee blazed out of the blocks, made every pole a winning through the top of the lane. Roja responded nicely when asked inside the final furlong and went on to seal the deal.
Stablemate Italian Soiree (Uncle Mo) passed Shoot It True (Munnings) in the final jump to finish as the runner-up and complete the Motion Exacta.
The final running time was 1:00.44–three-fifths of a second off the track record set by Cogburn (by Not This Time).
“I'm tickled with both of them,” said trainer Graham Motion about Roja and Italian Soiree. “They've really both done very well. Italian Soiree, I wanted to get her back on track and I thought this was a big step, but I thought she belonged off her first race [this year].
“Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] just loves this filly [Roja].” he said. “He was so high on her after she won at Churchill. She's so quick. Irad says she's like a quarter horse she's so quick. I'll tell you, I had quite a bit of confidence in this filly. I felt they probably wouldn't get to her. I was feeling pretty good when they turned for home. I wasn't sure they were going to get to her.
“And then I saw Italian Soiree coming, but I felt like it was getting too late for her,” Motion added. “I didn't tell [Irad] anything. When you have Irad, you don't really need to. All he tells me is how much he likes her. [Looking ahead] Irad said Breeders' Cup, so if he says that I'm fine with that.”
Pedigree Notes:
Roja handed her sire (by Bernstein) his ninth graded winner. She joins the likes of She Feels Pretty and fellow Motion trainee Spendarella.
Redmeansgo foaled GSP Pappascat (Scat Daddy) in 2010, who went on to produce in her own right current sire Pappacap (by Gun Runner), GSW Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) and the dam of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Brant (Gun Runner).
The winner's dam is also responsible for a 3-year-old filly in-training named South Philly Slide (Vekoma) and a yearling filly by Cyberknife. She was not reported as bred for this past spring.
Roja's extended female family includes Peruvian Horse of the Year and sire Al Qasr (by Aptitude) and MSW Delicate Dynamite (Old Trieste).
Thursday, Saratoga
INTERCONTINENTAL S.-GII, $250,000, Saratoga, 6-4, 4yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:00.44, fm.
1–ROJA, 122, f, 4, by Karakontie (Jpn)
1st Dam: Redmeansgo (SP, $113,680), by Red Ransom
2nd Dam: Majestic Dy, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Delicacy, by Pleasant Colony
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($50,000 Ylg '23 FTKFEB; $70,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Madaket Stables LLC; B-C Kidder (KY); T-H Graham Motion; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-1, $326,027. *1/2 to Fate Factor (The Factor), MSP, $236,998; and Pappascat (Scat Daddy), GSP, $165,762. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Italian Soiree, 122, f, 4, Uncle Mo–Social Call, by Smart Strike. ($290,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL; $600,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR; $950,000 RNA 3yo '25 FTKNOV). O-Hit The Bid Racing Stable & CMNWLTH; B-Repole Stable Inc (KY); T-H Graham Motion. $50,000.
3–Shoot It True, 120, f, 4, Munnings–To the Moon Alice, by Malibu Moon. ($340,000 Ylg '23 SARAUG). O-Ice Wine Stable & Smart Choice Stable; B-Old Tavern Farm LLC (NY); T-Wesley A Ward. $30,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 1 1/4. Odds: 5.72, 18.03, 2.62.
Also Ran: Love Cervere, In Our Time, Creed's Gold, Time to Dazzle, Ready to Jam, Gratefully. Scratched: Bam's Bliss Kiss, Twirling Queen. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
ROJA gets her third win in a row as she wins the Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes under @iradortiz for trainer Graham Motion. pic.twitter.com/Gpx8Uodm92
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 4, 2026
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