Interpidity (foaled 19 February 1990) was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from April 1993 to November 1994 the filly ran twelve times and won four races. Unraced as a two-year-old, Intrepidity proved to be the outstanding three-year-old filly in Europe in 1993, winning the Prix Saint-Alary and the Prix Vermeille in France and The Oaks in England. She also finished fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, beaten one and a half lengths. At the end of the year she was voted European Champion Three-year-old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. Intrepidity was kept in training as a four-year-old, but failed to win, although she finished second in the Prix Ganay and the Prix Foy. She was then retired to stud where her record as a broodmare was disappointing.
Background
Intrepidity was a dark bay mare with a white star and two white feet bred in Britain by M. Ryan. She was sired by the thirteen time Champion sire Sadler's Wells. Intrepidity's dam, Intrepid Lady, was an American-bred daughter of Bold Ruler, and closely related on her dam's side to Bold Bidder. Apart from Intrepidity, Intrepid Lady's best foal was Acushla, a filly who twice won the Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
Intrepidity was sent into training with André Fabre at Chantilly.
Racing career
1993: three-year-old season
Intrepidity began her racing career in the Prix Finlande, Listed race run over 1800 metres in April at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Ridden by Thierry Jarnet, she won by half a length from Alice Springs. The form of the race was boosted when the third horse, Madeleine's Dream, won the Group One Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on 16 May. A week later, Intrepidity was promoted to Group One class for the 2000m Prix Saint-Alary. Starting the 4/5 favourite, the filly took the lead in the straight and went clear of her opponents before being eased down by Jarnet to win by a length from Dancienne.
Michael Roberts took over from Jarnet when the filly was sent to England to contest the Oaks on 5 June. In a field of fourteen fillies, Intrepidity started 5/1 second favourite, behind the Barry Hills-trained Yawl (4/1) and just ahead of her stable companion Wemyss Bight. Intrepidity stumbled early in the race as she struggled to cope with the demanding course (according to Richard Edmondson in The Independent she resembled "Bambi on roller-skates") and was among the back-markers until the runners entered the straight. Switched to the outside, Intrepidity made rapid progress to take the lead inside the final furlong and win comfortably by three-quarters of a length from Royal Ballerina and Oakmead, with Wemyss Bight seven lengths back in fifth. The winning time of 2:34.19 set a new record for the race which still stands (as of 2012). Roberts, who had never sat on Intrepidity before riding her in the race, claimed that he had never been worried, saying that "once I got her running I knew I was going to win". Fabre called her "a top-class filly" and indicated that she would probably be rested until autumn. A month after her win at Epsom, the still-unbeaten Intrepidity started 11/10 favourite for the Irish Oaks at the Curragh, after her connections abandoned plans to run her against colts in the Irish Derby. Sheikh Mohammed had to pay a supplementary fee of £25,000 to run her in the race, as she had not been among the original entries. Racing on much softer ground she appeared outpaced in the closing stages and finished fourth behind Wemyss Bight, Royal Ballerina and Oakmead.
Intrepidity and Wemyss Bight met for the third time in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp in September, with Wemyss Bight starting favourite. Ridden once again by Thierry Jarnet, Intrepidity came from well back in the field to take the lead in the straight and held the late challenge of Wemyss Bight (who appeared to be an unlucky loser) to win by a head. Intrepidity and Opera House made up Sheikh Mohammed's entry for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October, and the pair were made 3.9/1 second favourite behind the Prix du Jockey Club winner Hernando (in France, horses in the same ownership are grouped together for betting purposes). Jarnet held the filly at the back of the twenty-three runner field before switching to the wide outside in the straight. Intrepidity overtook most of the runners in the final 200m but was unable to catch the leaders and was a fast-finishing fourth behind Urban Sea, White Muzzle and Opera House. On her final appearance of the season, Intrepidity was sent to California for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park, but was never in contention and finished unplaced behind Kotashaan.