Poppy Flower finishes fast to get up in final jump of Intercontinental

ELMONT, N.Y. - In the first of two graded stakes for turf sprinters this weekend at Belmont Park, Poppy Flower, trained by Bill Mott, ran down pacesetter Bubble Rock, trained by Brad Cox, for a nose win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes for fillies and mares on Friday evening.

The race set the table for an anticipated divisional showdown by those two barns in less than 24 hours.

In Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur Stakes, Mott will saddle two-time defending race winner Casa Creed, a late closer, against Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel, likely to be part of the pace for Cox.

First, though, it was Poppy Flower's ($15) turn. The filly, winner of the 2022 Stormy Blues at Laurel Park and the Galway at Saratoga, was getting a chance to turn the tables on Bubble Rock after rallying to be second by a half-length to that foe in the License Fee last month at Belmont.

Bubble Rock, who remained unbeaten in two stakes starts on the Belmont turf in the License Fee, showed the way under Joel Rosario Friday, posting a sharp opening half of 45.61 seconds, and holding a narrow lead over Cox-trained stablemate Goin' Good as the field cut the corner into the stretch. The field began to bunch up in upper stretch, but Bubble Rock found another spurt of energy near the furlong grounds and surged back to a half-length lead.

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Poppy Flower, who had worked her way to the outside of the field after breaking from the rail under Jose Ortiz, came flying from fifth in the final stages. She nailed Bubble Rock in the shadow of the wire, with Amy C just three-quarters of a length back in third.

"She tried hard and got a great trip," Mott said. "[Ortiz] tipped her out in time, and she got there. I mean, she was rolling. She was going to be a half-length in front a couple of jumps past the wire, but I wasn't sure she got there in time. That's a close finish.

“She's one of those fillies that shows up every time, but today was an exceptionally good race."

The final time was 1:08.53 for six furlongs on the inner turf, which was still rated firm after light showers toward the end of the card. Poppy Flower earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

After the top three, Bay Storm, Goin' Good, Clitheroe, Messidor, and Sarah Harper rounded out the order of finish.

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