Trainer Mullins seeks Breeders' Cup breakthrough with Intrepido
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ARCADIA, Calif. - The closest California trainer Jeff Mullins has come to winning a Breeders’ Cup race with 11 career starters was a second-place finish by Wild Fit in the 2005 Juvenile Fillies at Belmont Park.
The 12th runner may provide a breakthrough result at Del Mar on Oct. 31.
Intrepido is bound for the $2 million BC Juvenile after an impressive win at 8-1 in Saturday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
Intrepido, ridden by Hector Berrios, beat a quartet of colts trained by Bob Baffert to join the list of contenders for the BC Juvenile that includes the Baffert-trained Brant, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, and Ted Noffey, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
Mullins said he is ready to test Intrepido against other accomplished runners, for the most part.
“It feels good,” he said. “It adds more pressure.”
Mullins, 62, had his first Breeders’ Cup starter when Captain Squire finished fifth in the 2003 BC Sprint at Santa Anita. A year later, My Cousin Matt was third in the BC Sprint at Lone Star Park. Last year, his lone starter was Sugar Fish, who was fifth in the Distaff at Del Mar.
Mullins trains Intrepido for Ruben Islas and Michele Arthur, who race as Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. Bought for $385,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in April, Intrepido has won 2 of 3 starts, and is unbeaten around two turns.
After finishing a well-beaten fourth behind Brant in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on July 26, Intrepido led or disputed the pace in a maiden race at a mile on Aug. 23.
“Going back to his maiden race, I didn’t think he’d take the lead,” Mullins said.
“I left it up to Hector. I said, ‘Play the break and see what happens.’ He rocked out of there and took off.”
Intrepido had a much different trip in the $300,500 American Pharoah Stakes. He was third early and then fourth, and was forced to steady or lacked racing room on three occasions before the top of the stretch.
“I thought, is this horse going to get a break?” Mullins said on Sunday morning.
Nearing the stretch, Intrepido began to steadily close ground when Berrios moved him to the outside. But Mullins feared the race was too far along for Intrepido to win.
“He was running out of time,” Mullins said. “I thought third is good, second will be all right and all of a sudden, boom, he took off.”
Intrepido needs a smooth October to be ready for the BC Juvenile.
“In the back of your mind, you know things can change,” Mullins said. “We’ve got to keep it real.”
The way Intrepido has raced around two turns, however, has led to hopes he will play an important role in an important race later this month.
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