By Alan Carasso
Let go at odds of 24-5 shipping down from Saratoga to debut going a mile on the Presque Isle Tapeta track, the well-related The Big Con (GB) (c, 2, Dark Angel {Ire}–Nakuti {Ire}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}) made an eye-catching sweep for the lead when asked fully three furlongs from home and shot away from four overmatched rivals to graduate by a highly impressive eight lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors.
Top local jockey Pablo Morales looked to be asking the 115,000gns Tattersalls October graduate for some speed to secure a spot from his rail draw, but the Mar. 18 foal could not quite go the early gallop and Morales elected to settle him at the tail of the field through slow fractions of :25.10 and :50.04.
Traveling three or four off the inside, but with cover as they raced into the final four furlongs, The Big Con was edged out widest of all and in the blink of an eye, raced up to the leaders without truly being asked. On even terms passing the quarter pole, The Big Con opened up readily approaching the eighth pole and was taken well in hand for most of the final sixteenth of a mile, nevertheless clocking :24.71 for the last couple of furlongs, before galloping out energetically.
The Big Con was sourced out of the Newsells Park draft at last year's Tattersalls October Sale by the late Christophe Clement, Tom Pritchard-Gordon from Badgers Bloodstock and Erwan de Chambord, according to trainer Miguel Clement. He is a full-brother to Heredia (Ire) ($429,285), a Group 3 winner and third in the 2024 G1 Sun Chariot Stakes for breeder St Albans Bloodstock and trainer Richard Hannon before being acquired by Wathnan Racing, in whose colors she took out the GII Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 9.
The Group 3-winning Nakuti is a half-sister to Amade (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), winner of the GII Belmont Gold Cup over two miles in 2019 and of the G3 Geelong Cup in Australia in 2023. Newsells Park consigns the New Bay (GB) yearling half-brother to The Big Con and Heredia as lot 1040 during Book 2 of this year's October Sale in Newmarket.
According to Clement, The Big Con could make his next start in the C$150,000 GIII Grey Stakes going 8 1/2 furlongs over the Woodbine Tapeta on Nov. 2.
3rd-Presque Isle Downs, $35,100, Msw, 9-17, 2yo, 1m (AWT), 1:39.45, ft, 8 1/2 lengths.
THE BIG CON (GB), c, 2, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Nakuti (Ire) (GSW-Eng, GSP-Can, $184,647), by Mastercraftsman (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sheba Five, by Five Star Day
3rd Dam: Sheba's Step, by Alysheba
Sales history: 115,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $21,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tony Weintraub & Brandon M Dalinka; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Miguel Clement.
Well done to THE BIG CON, who won impressively on debut today! He was much the best under @Pablojockey88. Congratulations @ReevesThorobred, @pattiannreeves, Tony Weintraub, and @BDalinka! pic.twitter.com/tLilzNLfWS
— Clement Racing Stable (@clementstable) September 17, 2025
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