Chantilly: Intello rebounds to win Prix du Jockey Club

Trainer Andre Fabre’s first win in the Prix du Jockey Club came in 1997 with Peintre Celebre, and his most recent came Sunday, when Intello stormed home from just off the leaders to impressively capture France’s version of the Kentucky Derby.

Intello’s win was a Prix du Jockey Club first for prominent owners and breeders Alain and Gerard Wertheimer of Goldikova fame, as well as for renowned jockey Olivier Peslier, who steered clear Sunday at Chantilly of all the trouble that befell Intello when he finished an onrushing third last month in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas).

In that one-mile race at Longchamp, Intello broke from a terrible post, 18, and twice ran into traffic before launching a strong finish. In Sunday’s race, over 1 5/16 miles on good-to-soft going, Intello and Peslier took up a tracking position, racing third of 19 for much of the trip, with Peslier asking his mount to go after the leaders about a quarter-mile from home.

Intello’s response was immediate, and though taking over the lead quite some distance from the finish, he had no trouble maintaining his momentum and still held a two-length advantage on runner-up Morandi at the finish.

Just behind Morandi came Fabre’s second runner, Sky Hunter, who finished well clear of fourth-place Mshawish. First Cornerstone, ridden by Frankie Dettori for Team Valor, never got involved and checked in 15th. The winner was timed in 2:07.89.

Bred by the Wertheimer brothers, Intello is by Galileo and out of the Danehill mare Impresionnnante. His first success at the Group 1 level ran Intello’s career mark to four wins from five starts. European betting houses sharply cut his long-range odds for the Prix de l’Arc d’Triomphe, though Intello is no sure thing to want the Arc’s 1 1/2 miles.