KARAKONTIE’s Roja scored her first graded stakes victory on Thursday with a victory in the Intercontinental S. (G2) for her third consecutive victory and second stakes win.
Making her graded stakes debut in this 5 ½ furlong turf race against a tough field, Roja shot to the lead before Gratefully took up a position on her girth through an opening :21.35 quarter. Those two opened a few lengths on the rest of the field around the turn before Roja started pulling away.
Roja had a few lengths on the field in the stretch and though a few others came running late, there was no catching the filly. By the time they hit the line, Roja had 1 ¼ lengths on the field and stopped the clock in 1:00.44.
ROJA gets her third win in a row as she wins the Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes under @iradortiz for trainer Graham Motion. pic.twitter.com/Gpx8Uodm92
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 4, 2026
Trained by Graham Motion for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables, this was the fourth win in seven starts for Roja, who also has a second in the Stormy Blue S. to her name.
“Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] just loves this filly,” Motion said. “He was so high on her after she won at Churchill. She’s so quick. Irad says she’s like a Quarter Horse she’s so quick. I’ll tell you, I had quite a bit of confidence in this filly. I felt they probably wouldn’t get to her. I was feeling pretty good when they turned for home. I wasn’t sure they were going to get to her.
The C. Kidder-bred is one of three stakes performers out of the four-time winning Redmeansgo, who was third in a stakes as well. She has produced nine winners from 11 to race with her other winners including Grade 3-placed Pappascat and multiple stakes placed Fate Factor.
Pappascat has become a successful broodmare in her own right. Her foals include Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Pappacap and Grade 3 winner Boppy O. Her two-time winning daughter Tynan is also the dam of Grade 1 winner and $3 million 2-year-old purchase Brant.
KARAKONTIE’s 8.4% lifetime stakes winners to runners puts him above stallions such as Nyquist, Candy Ride, Constitution, Good Magic, Practical Joke and Twirling Candy with each standing for more than $50,000 in 2026.