Belmont at Big A: Bottas, Intricate Spirit win for Clément
Post-time favorite Bottas made a decisive move to the outside of a tightly bunched group near the rail to come out on top by a head Friday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for 10 juveniles at the Belmont at Aqueduct fall meet.
Manny Franco rode the victory which gave trainer Miguel Clément a sweep of the two win-and-you’re-in races for the Breeders’ Cup. Bottas qualified for the one-mile Juvenile Turf on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Clément won earlier with Intricate Spirit in the Pilgrim, which sends its winner to the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
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Truman’s Commander (52-1) and Baytown Dreamer (54-1) were one-two through early splits of 23.38, 48.58, 1:13.10 and 1:36.77. They would fade to finish eighth and ninth. Bottas (6-5), ridden by Manny Franco, and Heeere’s Johnny (7-1), under Javier Castellano, settled in mid-pack before making rallies in the second turn.
Bottas split horses at the eighth pole, and Heeere’s Johnny joined him in a duel through the final sixteenth of a mile before Bottas prevailed with a time of 1:42.63 on the firm course. He paid $4.48, $2.86 and $2.56. Heeere’s Johnny placed second and returned $4.96 and $3.50. Let’s Be Frank closed from last to finish another length behind in third, paying $5.26 to show. Scope (15-1) also was in last before finishing fourth.
A Vekoma colt who cost $300,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales April auction, Bottas is owned by Dahman. As a 2-1 favorite, he won his debut going 1 1/16 miles on the Saratoga turf in a $100,000 maiden race Aug. 23.
Intricate Spirit stalks, scores in Futurity
Intricate Spirit ran close to the early pace on the backstretch before taking the lead for good in the homestretch en route to a 1 3/4-length win in the $175,000 Futurity Stakes (G3), a six-furlong turf race for 2-year-olds.
The victorious Complexity colt was ridden by Joel Rosario as he was in his debut win and a second-place finish as an allowance favorite, both during the Saratoga summer. This time Intricate Spirit (5-2) stayed close to Manny Franco and front-running Longshoreman (7-2) through early fractions of 21.31 and 43.91 seconds.
Two wide at the top of the stretch, Intricate Spirit drew even with Longshoreman, and the two were close for the next 100 yards before Intricate Spirit pulled away to a final time of 1:07.98 on the firm turf.
Longshoreman held for second, Attfield (5-1) finished third, and Expressway (9-1) was fourth in the field of six.
Intricate Spirit paid $7.82, $3.90 and $2.94; Longshoreman $4.78 and $3.36; and Attfield $3.22.
A $185,000 purchase at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale, Intricate Spirit is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Ken and Gail Beitz.