Intercontinental wins Palomar BC 'Cap

DEL MAR, Calif. - Intercontinental, the 5-year-old mare, can be stubborn or brilliant at various times. In Saturday's $200,000 at Del Mar, she was a little of both in the same race.

Leading throughout, Intercontinental was rank early under jockey Jerry Bailey but settled on the backstretch before flying home to win by 1 1-4 lengths over Amorama. Intercontinental ($2.60) finished 1 1-16 miles on turf in a stakes record 1:39.84.

"As long as she got clear and was able to settle, she was fine," Bailey said.

Intercontinental led by as much as a length through early fractions of 23.92 and 47.35 seconds. Amorama, the winner of the Grade 1 John Mabee Handicap in July, closed from fourth to finish second, a neck in front of Ticker Tape. Katdogawn and Cotopaxi completed the order of finish.

Intercontinental's victory in the Grade 2 Palomar marked the seventh stakes victory of her 20-race career. Owned by Juddmonte Farms and trained by Bobby Frankel, Intercontinental has earned $1,253,263.

Frankel, who won the Palomar for the seventh time, said that Intercontinental would be pointed for the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park in November.