Intercontinental wire to wire

The Breeders' Cup dynasty continues for the remarkable broodmare Hasili.

Saturday at Belmont Park, Hasili's daughter Intercontinental led throughout the $1,060,000 to pull a 15-1 upset. The win came four years after Banks Hill, another Hasili foal, won the BC Filly and Mare Turf over this course.

Intercontinental ($32.20) gave jockey Rafael Bejarano his first win in a Breeders' Cup, and his ride was credited by winning trainer Bobby Frankel as a key to the victory.

Intercontinental took the lead after the first furlong, led by two lengths on the backstretch, shook off a threat from Wend, pulled clear by three lengths on the final turn, and held off a late challenge from defending champion Ouija Board and Film Maker to finish 1 1/4 lengths in front.

Intercontinental finished 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:02.34 over a good course.

"I broke good and didn't ask the horse," Bejarano said. "I stayed comfortable. When I didn't see anyone coming, I asked her and she exploded at the quarter pole."

Best in races over a mile in recent years, Intercontinental, 5, proved she can extend her speed.

"She had never been a mile and a quarter," Frankel said. "I didn't feel real good until five jumps before the wire. It worked out great."

Ouija Board, who was limited to two starts in England this year because of injury, finished a neck in front of Film Maker. Ouija Board, the 2-1 favorite, was eighth early and moved into contention while racing wide through the final half-mile.

"I got a good run early," said Ouija Board's jockey, Jerry Bailey. "I was as far off the pace as I wanted to be. I just couldn't run them down."

Film Maker overcame brief trouble in the opening furlong when jockey Patrick Valenzuela had to check in traffic. "She wasn't as close as I wanted," Valenzuela said. "She made a good run through the stretch and ran a good race."

Film Maker, who was second in the 2004 BC Filly and Mare Turf, was followed by Wonder Again, Favourable Terms, Wend, Angara, Megahertz, Karen's Caper, Mona Lisa, Luas Line, Flip Flop, Riskaverse, and Sundrop.

Sundrop was vanned off, and was reported to be "leg-weary," according to veterinarians.

The victory was likely the final start for Intercontinental, who races for breeder Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farm. Abdullah was present at Belmont on Saturday, but did not attend a post-race press conference.

Intercontinental has won 13 of 22 starts and $2,052,463. A stakes winner in France in 2003, Intercontinental has won 9 of 13 starts since joining Frankel's barn during the winter of 2003-04. Eight of the nine wins came in stakes, including the Grade 1 Matriarch.

Hasili, a stakes winner in France during her racing career in the early 1990's, is also the dam of the English champion Dansili, the French stakes winner Cacique, and the millionaire stakes winner Heat Haze.