Connect

Dec. 5 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED FILLIES DEBUT IN FLORIDA 3rd-GP, $60K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 12:58 p.m. Stonestreet Stables' BLYTHE SPIRIT (Ghostzapper) makes her career bow in this event. The $550,000 KEENOV purchase is a half to SW & GSP Telekinesis (Ghostzapper). Their second dam is MGSW Gold Mover (Gold Fever), who produced SW Giant Mover (Giant's Causeway), dam of MGSW & GISP Family Tree (Smart Strike) and GSW & GISP Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}). Glen Hill Farm homebred Influencing (Tapit) also debuts here. She is the latest foal...

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This Side Up: Breeders' Cup a Track-and-Field Event

The genius of the Breeders' Cup is the way it brings together the two ancillary channels of investment that offer a Thoroughbred racehorse such viability as it may have: from the bloodstock industry, on the one hand; and fans and handicappers, on the other. So far as the first group are concerned, it might be overstating things to say that the GI Kentucky Derby would not lose a single runner if they only ran for that blanket of roses. But it's certainly true that the values of the bloodstock market...

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Connect Colt 'Rolls' in Breeders' Futurity

Rattle N Roll (Connect) provided his first-crop sire with a first Grade I win, and potentially a Breeders' Cup-bound colt to go along with his promising filly Hidden Connection, as he powered away to an impressive score in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. A three-length, third-out, two-turn maiden winner at Churchill Sept. 23, the 8-1 shot stumbled slightly at the start and sat a midpack trip while saving ground as favored Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) cleared from his wide draw through fractions of :22.81...

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Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Oct. 9, 2021

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses. While no Group 1 racing is scheduled for the weekend, 'TDN Rising Star' Command Line (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}--Condo Commando) makes a much-anticipate second trip to the races in Saturday's G2 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (1800mT)...

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Connect Filly Romps in Pocahontas

Hidden Connection (f, 2, Connect--C J's Gal, by Awesome Again) stalked and pounced her way to a dominating victory in the 'Win and You're In' GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs Saturday evening. Mama Rina (Gormley) was second; Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) was third. The 9-5 favorite got over from her outside draw and was three wide rounding the clubhouse turn. She found an ideal spot to press the early leader from second through fractions of :24.26 and :48.62. She took over within her own restraint approaching the quarter pole...

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Making a 'Connection' in the Pocahontas

Hidden Brook Farm and Black-Type Thoroughbreds' Hidden Connection (Connect) marked her career unveiling in style, winning by a 7 ½-length margin going 5 1/2 panels at Colonial Aug. 17 and will try to add another notch to her belt in Saturday's 8 1/2-furlong GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs. "She was really impressive that day when she broke her maiden," said trainer Bret Calhoun. "She's only had this one race under her belt, so it's a test going two-turns. The way she ran last time gives us confidence in her."...

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Sunday's Insights: $1M Into Mischief Colt Debuts at Ellis

2nd-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:41 p.m. LOVE TO RUN (Connect) debuts for Breeze Easy LLC and trainer Mark Casse, who enjoyed is year-delayed induction into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Friday. Piloted by Tyler Gaffalione, who is striking at a 19% clip at the current meet, the half to MSP Thanks Mr. Edison realized a $640,000 final bid from agent Tom McGreevy following a 10 2/5 breeze at the OBSAPR Sale. The price represented the top price for a 2-year-old filly and the second-highest...

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Connect Filly Graduates at Gulfstream

3rd-Gulfstream, $60,000, (S), Msw, 7-1, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.17, ft, 1 length. QUEEN CAMILLA (f, 2, Connect--And Away We Go, by Awesome Again) was third in her 4 1/2-furlong debut at this oval June 3. Sent off at 8-1, the dark bay filly was outfooted in the early going and settled well back as favored Lara's Lady (Uncaptured) rushed out to set the pace. My Sassenach (Uncaptured) overtook the favorite on the turn and took a clear lead in upper stretch, but Queen Camilla was rallying down the center...

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First Winner for Connect in Indiana

Whatstheconnection became the first winner for freshman sire Connect (Curlin) at Indiana Grand Tuesday. Given an 8-1 chance in this debut, the chestnut broke on top from his rail draw and shot out to a clear lead, clicking off a :22.31 opening quarter. Turning for home in front, the homebred held off a pair of late challengers to win by a half-length. Mowins, a son of freshman sire Mohaymen, completed the exacta. Connect was a four-time stakes winner, topped by a victory in the 2016 GI Cigar Mile for the...

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Pompa Dispersal Marks End of an Era

The late longtime owner and breeder Paul Pompa, Jr., was a prominent figure in horse racing over the past two decades. The former owner of Truck Rite Corp. campaigned the likes of dual Classic winner Big Brown (Boundary) and champion Stardom Bound (Tapit) in partnership and was the sole owner of Grade I winners Connect (Curlin) and Backseat Rhythm (El Corredor). Several Pompa homebreds carried his silks to graded victories, such as Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) and Turned Aside (American Pharoah). The latter two are among...

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Kentucky Value Sires for 2021–First Juveniles, Part II

This is the second part of the latest instalment in our ongoing series assessing stallion options for the new covering season, now tackling sires who have just sold their first yearlings. The first part, which appeared in Tuesday's edition, can be read here. Dixie Union has achieved quite a legacy as a broodmare sire and, following on from Mohaymen (Tapit), two other stallions in this group are out of his daughters. KLIMT (Quality Road-Inventive by Dixie Union) has maintained an industrial output through his first three books at Darby Dan,...

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Keeneland January to Include Dispersal of Pompa Stock

Keeneland will offer 39 horses in the Complete Dispersal of the late Paul P. Pompa Jr.--including Turned Aside (American Pharoah), winner of Saturday's Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship S., and additional 2020 Grade III winners Country Grammer (Tonalist) and Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom)--during the 2021 January Horses of All Ages Sale, to be held Jan. 11-14. Lane's End will serve as agent for the consignment, which consists of broodmares, foals of 2020, horses of racing age and broodmare or stallion prospects. The January Sale catalog is scheduled to be online at...

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