Four of the six runners had graded stakes experience, but it was the one of the two maiden winners making a stakes debut who came home with the victory in the GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita and secured a 'Win and You're In' spot to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar in four weeks time. Intrepido (c, 2, Maximus Mischief–Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect), named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in his Aug. 23 Del Mar win, rated and showed fight in between horses before finishing strong to capture his first graded win and punch his ticket to championship day.When the gates flew, $1.15-million buy Kristofferson (Nyquist) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Desert Gate (Omaha Beach) went to the front with Interpido between the two. As the dust settled, the two favorites–Desert Gate at 4-5 and Kristofferson at 9-5–vied for supremacy through :22.83 and :46.76 fractions while Intrepido was in tight between horses and behind them. On the turn, Plutarch (Into Mischief) cut the corner to challenge Desert Gate and looked to have it won in the last strides, but Intrepido found another gear in the final sixteenth and flew by late on the outside. He got the 1 1/16 miles of the American Pharoah in 1:43.67 as Plutarch finished just in front of Desert Gate.Intrepido was a $385,000 purchase at the OBS April sale by Michael Pender for Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. He was the only member of the field to have won at a mile.O-Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures; B-Sierra Fria Farm LLC (Ky.); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Hector Berrios. #2 INTREPIDO ($19.60) had a strong kick late to get up and win the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. The son of Maximus Mischief (@spendthriftfarm) earned a spot in the @FanDuel @BreedersCup Juvenile (G1). @HIBerrios was up for @Jmullinsracing. pic.twitter.com/Hi6ZaX19ou— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 4, 2025The post ‘Rising Star’ Intrepido, by Maximus Mischief, Wins ‘WAYI’ American Pharoah appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.