Intercontinental tops strong Mabee field

Grade 1 heroine INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill) owns graded stakes wins in

California, New York and Kentucky, but the five-year-old mare will make her

first appearance at Del Mar against a talented group of seven in Saturday's

$400,000 John C. Mabee H. (G1). An easy 1 1/4-length winner of the Royal Heroine

S. (G3) at Hollywood Park last out, Intercontinental has captured three of her

last four starts and is the 122-pound highweight for the 48th running of the 1

1/8-mile event over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Alex Solis replaces Jerry Bailey in the saddle on the Bobby

Frankel trainee.

Four other Grade/Group 1 winners are in the field. TICKER TAPE (GB) (Royal

Applause [GB]), winner of the American Invitational Oaks (G1) and Queen

Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup (G1) last season, has failed to find the

winner's circle in a pair of 2005 attempts but looms as a threat to turn the

tables on Intercontinental after finishing a good second in the Royal Heroine

most recently. ISLAND FASHION (Petionville) is a three-time Grade 1 queen and

exits a narrow second over the main track in the Vanity H. (G1) for trainer

Marcelo Polanco. Three-time Group 1 Argentine victress HALO OLA (Arg) (Southern

Halo) will make her third North American start after finishing third to

Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal) in the Beverly Hill H. (G2) last out.

AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan) is another dangerous contender, capturing last

year's Del Mar Oaks (G1) and turning in a commendable third in the Gamely

Breeders' Cup H. (G1) last out. Julio Canani saddles the bay filly.

Intercontinental will lead the post parade and be followed by Amorama, Martin

Pedroza, 115; Ticker Tape, Kent Desormeaux, 118; SMOKEGETENYOUREYES (Smokester),

Tyler Baze, 110; WINENDYNME (Dynaformer), Corey Nakatani, 115; URAIB (Ire) (Mark

of Esteem [Ire]), Jon Court, 114; Island Fashion, Pat Valenzuela, 116; and Halo

Ola, Jose Valdivia Jr., 114.