Significant Form Back in Top Form in Intercontinental

Considering that her husband has owned Thoroughbreds for decades and was one of the country's top-ranked polo players, it's not surprising that Stephanie Seymour Brant would develop a love for horses.

"I love the horses," said the renowned model who is married to Peter Brant. "I love watching them train. The whole process. It's really beautiful."

Helping to fuel that passion are moments like the one in the winner's circle at Belmont Park June 6 when she was surrounded by her husband and well-wishers as they celebrated a half-length victory by the 4-year-old filly she owns, Significant Form, in the $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes (G3T).

"I love horse racing, and you love it even more when you get a great win like this," she said.

Significant Form returned to top form in her 4-year-old debut as she posted her first victory since a 6 1/4-length score in the Memories of Silver Stakes to start her 2018 campaign. She benefited from a well-timed ride by Irad Ortiz Jr., who rallied her from sixth in the field of nine.

"I'm proud of Irad and I'm proud of 'Siggy,''' she said, calling the gray/roan filly by a nickname she gave her. "I'm very proud of them."

The victory was also rewarding for trainer Chad Brown, who gave the filly the time she needed to put a disappointing 3-year-old season behind her.

A top filly on the turf at 2, Significant Form won on debut but was disqualified to seventh, then won the Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T) in her second start. She finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) in her 2-year-old finale. 

After the Memories of Silver, the daughter of Creative Cause  finished second in the Wonder Again Stakes (G3T) as a 4-5 favorite but could then do no better than fourth in her final three races of the year, the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T), Lake Placid Stakes (G2T), and Winter Memories Stakes, a Nov 22 race that was moved to the main track.

Brown believed the filly's problems were mental rather than physical, so the temptation to retire her was resisted. One race into her 4-year-old season, that decision appears to be rather astute.

"We put a lot of time into getting her ready off the layoff and training in a nice, calm manner. Thank you to Stephanie for keeping her in training. We talked about retiring her, but we saw enough over the winter to keep her in training, and I'm glad we did.

"She's really filled out (since last year). I went to put the saddle on her, and we needed a bigger-sized girth. The rest did her a world of good. She's run her best races when fresh."

The seven-furlong distance was also a perfect call as Ortiz kept the 2-1 favorite ($6.90) along the inside for much of the trip before tipping out in the stretch and moving past Backwards Stable's determined frontrunner Fire Key, who finished a neck in front of another of Brown's horses, Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Kent Spellman, and Bethlehem Stables' Stella di Camelot.

"The cutback was in order," Brown said. "With the kind of pace set in front of her (:23:03, :45.99), she's finally not pulling against the rider. It was really the trip I was looking for. We had a plan, and it worked out well. Irad executed it terrifically."

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Church by the Sea, Significant Form was sold in 2016 by Jones to Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent, for $75,000 at the The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky select yearling sale. In turn, she was bought by her current connections for $575,000 from the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds In Training.

She now has three wins in nine starts and earnings of $466,865.

The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:19.83.

Brown said he was uncertain of Significant Form's next start, but he knows whenever it happens, the owner will have a grand time at the races.

"She's really enjoying it," Brown said. "She's an exciting horse, and I'm glad Stephanie is having a good time with it."

Video: Intercontinental S. (G3T)