TDN RISING STARS

February 18, 2019 - Oaklawn Park, Race 3, Msw, USD $93,000, 1M, .0000

Intrepid Heart, C, 3, 2016 by Tapit

1st Dam: Flaming Heart, by Touch Gold
2nd Dam: Hot Lear, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Medicine Woman, by Dr. Blum

Owner: Lawana L. & Robert E. Low
Breeder: WinStar Farm, LLC & Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY)
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher

Robert and Lawana Low’s Intrepid Heart (Tapit) caught a ride to Hot Springs from Palm Beach Downs along with trainer Todd Pletcher’s other runners competing in graded stakes later on the card, and he stamped himself as one who could be making an impact in big races like those in the future with a powerful debut romp that garnered the ‘TDN Rising Star’ distinction. Representing the same connections as last year’s local GII Rebel S. and GI Arkansas Derby hero and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon), the 9-10 chalk traded jabs early while well clear of the rest of the field through splits of :23.11 and :47.28. He began to leave his pesky pace foe in the dust heading for home, and with nobody from behind doing enough and a short run to the wire, the only question at that point was what the margin of victory would be. Under confident John Velazquez handling and with big, powerful strides, Intrepid Heart kicked home 7 3/4 lengths clear of Speed App (Flatter), stopping the clock in 1:38.08.

The fourth-priciest lot at $750,000 at last year’s OBS April sale off a :10 2/5 breeze, Intrepid Heart’s MSW/GSP dam Flaming Heart (Touch Gold) is also responsible for Commissioner (A.P. Indy), MGSW & GISP, $962,237; Laugh Track (Distorted Humor), GSW & GISP, $598,014; and the dam of last year’s GII Wood Memorial S. winner Vino Rosso (Curlin) and his sophomore half-brother and ‘Rising Star’ So Alive (Super Saver), who was recently third from far back in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Commissioner, Vino Rosso and So Alive are all fellow Pletcher products. Flaming Heart, who was bred and campaigned by Frank Stronach’s operation, was purchased by WinStar Farm for $1.5 million in foal to Street Cry (Ire) at the 2007 Keeneland November sale. She produced a Carpe Diem colt in 2018.