Intricate cruises to easy win in Golden Rod Stakes

Intricate, patiently handled by Tyler Gaffalione while lacking running room around the turn, found a seam in the strecth and bounded clear to a 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

With the win, the filly picked up 10 points toward a starting spot in next May's Kentucky Oaks, with the Golden Rod awarding its top finishers points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale in the system devised by Churchill Downs. Gaffalione - who is on his way to the rider title at this meet that concludes Sunday - and trainer Brendan Walsh won this year's Oaks with Pretty Mischievous.

Like Pretty Mischievous, who was third in the 2022 Golden Rod, Intricate ($14.66) was making the third start of her 2-year-old campaign in this race. The Gun Runner filly, owned by the partnership of Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes, and Cambron Equine, was fifth in her six-furlong debut during the September meet at Churchill Downs. That heat was won by West Sunset, who subsequently took the Rags to Riches at the start of this November meet. Intricate relished added distance when going 1 1/16 miles - the distance of the Golden Rod - in an Oct. 13 maiden at Keeneland, and again proved a powerhouse when given the opportunity Saturday.

"She’s just been starting to come around and really put things together today," trainer Brendan Walsh said. "We’ve always thought she’s a true two-turn filly. Last year this race worked out well for the development of Pretty Mischievous."

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In Saturday's race, West Sunset broke alertly from post 7 in the field of eight fillies, and cleared the field into the first turn. She had also been on the lead in the Rags to Riches - but while she relaxed beautifully for regular rider Flavien Prat that day, this time she was tugging on him, and her fractions were faster - 23.30 for the opening quarter compared to 24.23, and 47.31 for the half compared to 48.99. Meanwhile, Dozen Diamonds, who had been away alertly to press for the lead, eased off to settle into second, with Intricate on her hip on the inside.

Leaving the backstretch, the stalkers began to reel in West Sunset, with Dozen Diamonds setting upon her first, and favored Thorpedo Anna looming a danger on the outside after recovering well from a slow start. Intricate was still inside and in contention, but lacking running room, with Gaffalione sitting chilly and waiting for an opportunity. It came as Dozen Diamonds swung out for her run, opening a gap between her and the fading West Sunset. Gaffalione pulled the trigger, and Intricate responded willingly, scooting through with a burst of speed to take the lead and continuing to pour it on to the wire.

The filly stopped the clock in 1:45.01 for the 1 1/16 miles.

After Intricate, Thorpedo Anna, a dominant allowance-optional winner last out, held second by a neck over the closing Central Avenue.

"She got a little antsy in the gate and broke pretty slow," trainer Ken McPeek said of the beaten favorite. "I thought she ran well but definitely was compromised at the start.”

Dozen Diamonds was another half-length back in fourth, followed, in order, by Gin Gin, Purloin, Here's the Spider, and West Sunset.

Last year, Pretty Mischievous exited the Golden Rod to win the Untapable and Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds, then finished second in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks before returning to Kentucky. Intricate is now set to also head south for the winter.

"We’ll see where we end up down the road with her but I’m sure we’ll entertain the Fair Grounds races like we did last year," Walsh said.

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