Post by Cavallo on Jul 13, 2014 20:21:38 GMT -5
Established back in the year 2000, Intrepid Racing, Inc. has been around the block a time or two going from Imperial Glory Studs to the pristine Intrepid that it is today. It's no secret that with the amount of time that Intrepid has been in the game that they have gone through some changes throughout their history. It might come as a surprise then that it was actually in Arabians and not Thoroughbreds that the stable got their start in back in 2000. Endurance racing has always been Nick Landing's best event and over the years it was a natural transition to the eventing world and then the Thoroughbred race tracks. It was on foreign tracks that the then Imperial Glory Studs began to make their marks on the racing industry and it began with one foundational broodmare and stallion in the form of Rosalind and sim-bred War Admiral that resulted in the beginning of the Landing's climb to fame with a black colt by the name of Admiral's Revenge. The black stallion wowed the crowds by running in the lead from wire to finish and gave them the show they had been looking for and he held them captivated through an astonishing career that included becoming a MHS Triple Crown Champion and retiring with an astonishing record of 91-38-25-23 (95% consistency). It seemed that Nick Landing the owner and trainer and lead jockey for Imperial Glory Studs had found their niche. Dirt and distance. From there it was climb to the upper levels of the racing world as the stable turned its hand to breeding. They made a daring move and began to create their own kind of thoroughbred. Starting with the finest Arabian stock and then crossing it then with Thoroughbred stock, Warmblood stock, and even a hint of mustang to boot. Taking these cross-bred horses we bred the thoroughbred blood back in, until that was all that remained, pure blooded Thoroughbreds with an extra flair. Intrepid Racing has thoroughbreds that have forever impacted their SIM connections forever and there is a distinct fire to the breed and it is all Intrepid. Unfortunately, dark times fell upon the stable and in 2008 things went quiet and Imperial Glory Studs fell into the shadows and took a long hiatus from the tracks. It was a blow for the stable, but they weren't out of the game for long and in 2012, they were reborn as Intrepid Racing and picked up the pieces to become the stable of renown that it is today and it doesn't look like they are going anywhere. With the reappearance of the stable, things kicked into motion and the Landing family has returned the glory of the stable and they are looking to a bright future as one of the top Thoroughbred Breeders and Racers in the business.
So what then is the well established stable up to nowadays? Good question and the answer isn't simple. Since their return to the tracks in 2012 in Y12 it has been an uphill battle to return to the former status of elite quality that was naturally associated with the stable, but it is a challenge that Intrepid has tackled just like their namesake, without fear and all the boldness that marks an Intrepid horse. Since their relaunch, Intrepid has had three horses inducted into the Breeding Hall of Fame and their eyes on set on the Racer Hall of Fame in the future, but that's getting ahead of ourselves here. Now the stable is boasting of 25 Active Thoroughbred racers and all of them are marked with the pedigrees and attitudes to take them places. When we asked Nicholas Landing which of the horses was his favorite he groaned and gave us a withering look, "How do you pick a favorite amongst the kind of quality that resides here?" We laughed at the playful humor of the man, but we were able to press the owner, trainer and jockey for a more finite answer. "When it comes to riding, I'm going to have to surprise everyone and say that Top Admiral is my favorite at this moment. He reminds me so much of his brother, Admiral's Revenge and I think is one of the underrated horses missed by the public, but mark my words he'll be taking the public by surprise here soon enough. Training wise, Samhain has been a pistol to train. It's never a dull moment with the Warlock son and I think with the older turf horses like Infinite Warcry and Bella Luna retiring, Samhain will be stepping into a hole that will cause him to bloom at a astonishing rate. I'm very excited for the colt's future." The holes aren't the only thing that Intrepid is looking to fill, but it's becoming well-known for their current presence on the tracks with the likes of Nightshade, Bellefire, Ramirez, Infinite Warcry and Abastor and other older horses climbing the ranks with power and finesse that commands the respect of competition.
When mentioning the three year old division, Nick was more than willing to comment. "There's been superb three year olds and some of the best that we've seen in a while. It doesn't surprise me with the level of quality of this year's three year olds that there hasn't been any major series winners this year." Mentioning the series we were quick to mention the current ongoing Canadian Triple Crown. "It's been some years since Intrepid has won a major series. Sure, we've placed in them and caused a few upsets over the years, but I'm thinking that this year Anodyne just might be the horse to get the job done for Intrepid this year. We built him up during this year's Triple Crown and he showed us that he was a monster by placing in the Belmont. It was all the sign I needed as a trainer to know that this colt was more than ready to take on the CTC. Dye has proven that he's versatile on the surfaces with wins on both dirt and turf and it's well within his pedigree to thrive on either surface and to go the distances. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't excited about the prospect of winning this year's CTC title. I think Anodyne has the ability to get the job done." The conversation naturally turned to the contentious topic of this year's juvenile ranks and Nick was gracious enough to comment. "This year the juvenile division is murder. There is much more high quality competition, which is a great problem to have, but it's made this year a lot harder to climb the ranks as in previous years, but Intrepid is hanging in there. Stiletto Allure and Lilith Wind have climbed into the grade four ranks already, which is an interesting turn for us, since Intrepid has usually boasted more so in the classic distance races. Regardless though, Intrepid is thriving with the challenges of new stables and we enjoy the competition. They can only make us better. With the second half of the season approaching there will be more long distance races for our classic juveniles and the public will be seeing more of those horses like Meritorious, Ultimate Revenge and Calypso's Fury." The stable has been having great success in the undercard races and has been putting in major shows and places in the larger stakes races. It is only a matter of time before the black and silver silks are seen more in the winner's circle for the graded stakes races, but Intrepid isn't just depending upon their racers to claim some fame.
In recent years the stable has boasted major success in the breeding arena of things. Bella Luna, owned and raced by affiliate stable Witch Creek, swept last years Turf Triple Crown and was bred by Nick Landing himself in addition to Hokum last year who went from G5 to G1 in one racing year. Other credits to the Intrepid breeding name are horses like Fleet Majesty, GS Royal Crown, GS Supercharged and this year's Kentucky Derby winner, Mourning Passion, TC Placer In Front, and upcoming horses like Lethal Dose, Casualty of War, Nirvana, Impressionable, Trinity, The Devil's Flair and many many more. It isn't a secret that Intrepid is one of the best breeders in the business with all 26 horses sold in their Annual Sale. It's no secret that you don't miss out on an Intrepid sale because there you will always find quality that's proven, fresh and true to the fiery name of Intrepid Racing, Inc.. Intrepid has solid bids for this year's major stakes races and they will be one of the stables to look out for as far as competition goes. Older horses like Ramirez, Bellefire, Abastor, who boasts a ridiculous 100% consistency, are the up and coming graded horses for the barn and they are showing all the promise in the world to overthrow the current kings and queens of their divisions. The current three year old string is battle tested and poised to bring down the hammer on the second half of the season. With a competent staff and luxurious and efficient facilities it is no wonder the stable is so closely associated with excellence. And in matters of the staff, the public is very keen to watch the recent development of a rumored relationship between rivals Nick Landing and Amber Black. We tried to pry a definitive answer out of the man, but all we got was a very mysterious smile. "The staff here at Intrepid is what makes this place what it is. We wouldn't be where we are today without our jockeys, stable hands and barn crews. We're like one big family with one goal: excellence. From hacking the mounts over our forest trails, or breezing on our turf or dirt tracks or simply mucking out the stalls, the Intrepid staff here makes it possible for me to do my own job and I think they do a hell of a job in all regards. I couldn't be more proud of my team."
The future has never looked brighter for the black and silver silks of Intrepid. Ever giving of their bloodlines to affiliates and outside stables, the upcoming years are a special treat for the generous barn as they finally begin to see a return for their generosity. When asked about Y15 Breeding Plans Landing jokingly referred to it as the year of Witch Creek for IRS. Four out of the six planned foals will have some kind of Witch Creek influence and it is even rumored that the champion Mastermind is already booked to the well-bred and recently retired Arachne, a winning combination that we are all eager to see. Landing also has referred to potentially having snagged the very last El Sol Del Mar breeding ever. And who is the lucky stud? Well of course none other than the ridiculously accomplished Impressario. The HOF crossing was a discussion that really lit up Landing's eyes and for good reason. Who wouldn't be excited about that kind of a pairing? In the wings though for Y15 debuts though is just as much excitement. The very last Night Stalker son will be making his debut in the Intrepid Silks and it out of none other that the GHF Y13 Brood to Watch, Admirable. "Night Visions is a fire cracker to say the least and is a credit to his now pensioned sire." But Intrepid is also stepping up their turf game. Long affiliated with the dirt surfaces, Landing and Ethan Marino, the head Yearling and Weanling Trainer, have pushed to break outside of their stereotype and have phenomenal turf plans in the future including names such as HOF Merry Bay King, HOF Wildly Natural, HOF Wild Flower, Xenophon, HOF True Enough and CH. HOF Alluring Assault to just name a few.
"The Y14 yearlings that we have currently are thriving in their training and prep for their juvenile seasons and I couldn't be more excited to share them soon with the public. As usual there will be plenty of attitude and fire to be found in abundance." The firstborn for Worldbreaker and Alluring Assault will be making his appearance in Y15 and is highly anticipated by the public, his dam wildly being a crowd favorite here at The Wire. "There's no doubt about it, we have our work cut out for us with the appearance of new stables, but it's a change that we widely welcome. I'm eager to see the new flavors and strains that will begin to influence the tracks. I hope the public and the competition knows that while we work to win, we also love to help others and seeing the development of others is only a testimony to the improvement of the sport. To you our doors are always open to improve the name of the game." It definitely looks like Intrepid has their ducks in a row and they are eagerly working to maintain the excellence that they're widely known for and to longstanding Intrepid we wish you all the best in the present and the future!
