 Although Intentionally
amassed earnings of $589,521 performing in the silks of Baltimorean
Harry Isaacs, the six-year-old son of Intent - My Recipe, by Discovery,
had not raced in Florida until January 24 [1962] when he went to the
post in the colors of Tartan Stable in an allowance race on the Hialeah
turf.
Intentionally wound up a
disappointing fourth behind Winonly, Gordian Knot and Captain Kidd II,
and in auspicious debut in the Sunshine State for a horse destined to
become a stallion at Ocala. But the Hialeah grass course, though listed
as "firm," was much slower than usual; both Winonly and Staretta (who
won on the grass an hour earlier) required 1:07 to accomplish the 5-1/2
furlongs. Intentionally undoubtedly didn't like the footing (he's run on
a turf course three times and never finished in the money), and perhaps
needed a race, too, since his last outing had been in the 1-1/4-mile
Trenton Handicap last autumn at Garden State.
 Whatever
the cause of Intentionally's slow beginning in Florida, he came
back to make amends in no uncertain manner.
Steaming off the pace in
the upper stretch, he grabbed the lead from pacesetting Beau Admiral and
then staved off a late rush by Dorchester Farm's Carry Back to win the
seven-furlong Palm Beach Handicap under 126 pounds on January 31.
Yet, although
Intentionally won the race, most of the tribute afterward was rendered
to the popular native son, Carry Back, who had closed nearly seven
lengths in the stretch run, in his first outing of the season. Just a
bit more distance seemed all Carry Back needed.
That extra distance was
available in the next meeting between the pair, the 1-1/8-mile Seminole
Handicap February 10, and last year's Kentucky Derby winner went off a
3-to-4 favorite while Intentionally was made second choice at 7-to-2.
The Seminole, which
replaced the McLennan on Hialeah's stakes schedule this season, grossed
$62,300 with 10 starters and drew one of the best winter handicap fields
in recent years.
Carry Back was the top
weight with 127 pounds, picking up three pounds off his effort in the
shorter Palm Beach, while Intentionally kept the same package, 126
pounds. Intentionally, who is co-holder of the world record for the
mile (1:33-1/5) with the brilliant Swaps won the Quaker City
Handicap at 1-1/8 miles last year but generally has been more effective
at a mile or less.
 The
Seminole was billed as Intentionally's farewell to the turf, but
its outcome almost postponed the black horse's retirement. He bagged the
Hialeah headliner so easily that trainer John Nerud conceded after the
race, "The way that son-of-a-gun won today, there's still some chance
we might run him in the Widener." (It was announced later that he would
be retired immediately, however.)
Completing the nine
furlongs on a fast but dull racing strip in 1:48-2/5, Intentionally
reached the wire eight coasting lengths ahead of Carry Back, who closed
with his usual determination but failed to menace the waltzing winner.
Calumet Farm's Yorky,
winner of the McLennan (as well as the Royal Palm and Widener) last
winter, finished a half-length behind Carry Back. Alamode Farm's Vapor
Whirl was the same margin farther back, in fourth place. After that came
Calumet's Beau Prince (an entry with Yorky), Peter Fuller's
Hillsborough, Robert Lehman's Ambiopoise, Ogden Phipps's Hitting Away,
Jacob Sher's Sherluck and Walnut Hill Farm's Zumbador II.
Intentionally was
beautifully ridden by Manuel Ycaza, who flew
in from California for the race and also to ride Cain Hoy Stables's Dead
Ahead in a prep for the Flamingo.... "A wonderful ride," Ycaza declared
of Intentionally. "He did everything I asked of him."
Nerud's instructions to
the talented Panamanian were brief.
"All I told him was to beat 'em all to the (first) turn, and then
your're on your own," John explaned. "If somebody wants to go out and
set the pace down the backside, let 'em."
Ycaza followed orders,
with finesse. Intentionally,
breaking from the number three post position, outran Vapor Whirl and
Bill Hartack ...and clicked off early fractions of :23 and :46-1/5 while
maintaining a narrow lead over the
Alamode Farm colt.
Through the first half
Ambiopoise was third, daylight
behind the top pair, while Hitting Away
was an astonishingly remote fourth. Hitting Away, who had won the Royal
Palm from end to end in an impressive display of
speed, was handicapped by being in the number 10 post for the Seminole.
But the son of Ambiorix - Striking, War Admiral. was actually outrun
going to the first bend by none
other than Carry Back!
Forced wide on the
initial turns, Hitting Away made no impression on the leaders, which
perhaps is the best explanation of the ease with which Intentionally won
the Seminole. Vapor Whirl, after all, had been unable to stay with
Hitting Away in the Royal Palm, and it was no surprise that he couldn't
match strides with Intentionally.
It
could be, too, that Carry Back doesn't want to be as close to the
early pace as he was in the Seminole. However, jockey John Sellers let
the famed son of Saggy ease back to seventh and eighth position heading
down the backstretch. Near the far turn, last year's three-year-old
champion moved willingly along the rail -- also not his custom as he
usually has been brought to the outside -- but it was obvious even at he
half-mile pole that he had little or no chance of catching Intentionally
that day.
After six furlongs in
1:10-2/5, Intentionally was a length and a half ahead of Vapor Whirl and
beginning to draw away, Ambiopoise and Hitting Away were fading, and
Intentionally was on the lead all along and lovely -- at least to his
partisans.
Five lengths ahead of
Vapor Whirl at the furlong pole, Intentionally widened his advantage
through the last eighth while Carry Back -- in tight quarters on the
inside -- came between horses for his belated rally.
Yorky also finished well
to gain the show award and it was the best performance in several months
for the five-year-old son of Bull Lea, who suffered a fractured hoof
after winning the Widener last year. While Yorky still looms as a threat
in the forthcoming Widener, Beau Prince "came back a bit sore."
Racing Form chart-caller Bud Lyon reported in his footnotes.
Trainer Jack Price, who
had announced plans to syndicate Carry Back the day before the Seminole,
could only say, "I'm glad John Nerud is going to retire that black
horse."
However, it was hard to
believe that Intentionally could pass up the $100,000-added Widener
after such a comfortable decision over his main rivals in the Seminole.
William L. McKnight, owner of Tartan Stable and head of the syndicate
that purchased Intentionally this winter, said the decision on whether
the horse races again is up to Nerud, but added, "I'd like to see him
run again."
Mr. Nerud planned to fly
to Ocala to check on mares scheduled to be bred to Intentionally. If the
breeding schedule permitted, the son of Intent would probably start in
the
 Widener. If he starts, it will probably be as favorite. (Upon
returning from Ocala, Mr. Nerud announced that Intentionally would be
retired immediately.)
Intent, sire of Intentionally.
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