Significant Form Grinds Way to Intercontinental Score

ELMONT, NY – Stephanie Seymour Brant’s Significant Form returned to the track in ultra-impressive fashion Thursday, waiting patiently for room before grinding her way between foes to win the $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.

Breaking from post 2 as the 2/1 favorite under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Significant Form rated along the inside in midpack while Fire Key posted opening fractions of :23.03 and :45.99. At the top of the stretch, Significant Form looked ready to run but was still held back while her rider waited for an opening.

Finally unleashed inside the final furlong, Significant Form split between Fire Key and Broadway Run late to find her way to the front. A confident Ortiz, Jr., wrapped up the Chad Brown trainee before she’d even crossed with a 1/2-length advantage for the 7-furlong turf sprint. The final time of 1:19.83 was only 0.6 seconds off of the track record that A Lot set in 2016 when winning the Elusive Quality Stakes.

“I had so much horse, so I knew that whatever hole I could make, I was going to get through,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I just waited there and was patient and tried to make the right decision with her. It worked out well.”

A four-way photo for second ultimately went to Fire Key, who held on by a neck over Stella di Camelot. Broadway Run was a nose behind her in fourth, while Fear No Evil was a neck further back. Zonza necked out Enthusiastic Girl for sixth, with Binti Al Nar and a non-threatening Raven’s Lady completing the order of finish.

Significant Form’s win was her second in a graded stakes event, having taken the Miss Grillo Stakes (G3) here over the inner turf as a juvenile. The 4-year-old daughter of Creative Cause, purchased for $575,000 six months before that win, now sports a record of 9-3-1-0 with $466,865 earned.

“She ran really well. We’ve been wanting to cut her back for a while and we got the perfect opportunity to do so,” said Brown, who won his second graded stakes on the card after Cambier Parc won the Wonder Again Stakes (G3). “Irad rode a great race, and luckily, it all worked out for her. She’s really filled out going from 3 to 4. I was commenting to my assistant in the paddock when I put the saddle on her that we put a size bigger girth on her today. The time off has really done her a world of good.”

Significant Form returned $6.90 to win, $4.60 to place, and $3.30 to show. Fire Key brought back $7 to place and $4.70 to show, while Stella di Camelot paid $3.70 to show.