Bottas, Intricate Spirit give Clement BC prep double at Aqueduct

A pair of Miguel Clement-trained two-year-olds earned berths to the Breeders' Cup at Aqueduct on Friday. Prevailing in the richer of the two stakes was Bottas, who narrowly held off Heeere's Johnny in the $200,000 Pilgrim (G2), a prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Buried along the inside in midpack approaching the turn for home, Bottas swung out for the stretch run, squeezed his way between rivals to take the lead, and then found himself back near the rail when Heeere's Johnny drifted in during their duel in the final sixteenth.

Victorious by a head, Bottas paid $4.48 as the 1.24-1 favorite under Manny Franco. He covered 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:42.63.

Heeere's Johnny finished one length ahead of Let's Be Frank, who was followed by Scope, Noble Dynasty, Capital Partner, Teleport, Truman's Commander. Baytown Dreamer, and Ball of Fire.

The Kentucky-bred Bottas, owned by Dahman, is now 2-for-2, having also won his debut on Aug. 26 at Saratoga by 2 1/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

"Hopefully this will give him more experience because it's only going to be his third start when he runs in the Breeders' Cup. He's a top-class horse and he overcomes adversity," Clement said.

Bottas is by Vekoma and out of Iadorakid, a Lemon Drop Kid half-sister to Canadian turf champion El Tormenta.

A lucrative, restricted Aug. 28 Kentucky Downs allowance yielded its second stakes winner when Intricate Spirit outgamed a stubborn Longshoreman in the $175,000 Futurity (G3), which offered an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

A comfortable debut winner at Saratoga in early August, Intricate Spirit traveled to southern Kentucky several weeks later and finished second, beaten three parts of a length, to Street Beast, who wheeled back the following week to capture the Juvenile Mile at Kentucky Downs.

Cutting back slightly to six furlongs in the Futurity, Intricate Spirit rated just behind Longshoreman, who set a blistering pace of :21.31 and :43.91. Normally a pace that would set up for a closer, the top pair maintained their advantage to the wire. Intricate Spirit was in position to take over in midstretch and drew off to score by 1 3/4 lengths under Joel Rosario.

"We were very disappointed he got beat at Kentucky Downs — especially an allowance — but in hindsight I suppose his form was flattered," Clement said. "I think five [furlongs] or six is more his game than 6 1/2 [furlongs] at Kentucky Downs, so I was expecting a better effort today."

Intricate Spirit paid $7.82 and covered the distance in 1:07.98. Clement trains Intricate Spirit for the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, Kenneth Beitz, and Gail Beitz.

Longshoreman held second by three parts of a length, while Attfield edged Expressway, 1.26-1 favorite Belgian, and Channel the Music in a four-way scramble for third.

A Kentucky-bred son of Complexity, Intricate Spirit is a half-brother to the stakes-winning Spirit Prince. Both were reared by Dottie's Spirit, a daughter of Curlin.