Hidden Connection All Class In Pocahontas, Gets BC Juvenile Fillies Berth

Fresh off a win in her first career start, Hidden Connection had no trouble stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, the 2-year-old daughter of Connect earns a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The field of 10 broke cleanly, with Lemieux away fastest from the gate, taking a one-length lead. Hidden Connection stayed with her, Reylu Gutierrez putting his filly a half-length behind Lemieux.

Around the far turn, Hidden Connection drew even with Lemieux, passing her as they entered the stretch. From there, the filly ran away with the G3 Pocahontas, stretching her lead out to eight lengths as she crossed the wire. Mama Rina closed late to take second with Goddess of Fire and Code for Success rounding out the top four.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.78. Find this race's chart here.

Hidden Connection paid $5.60, $4.00, and $3.20. Mama Rina paid $21.40 and $7.80. Goddess of Fire paid $4.20.

The G3 Pocahontas is a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The winner earns a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

As a race on the path to the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, Hidden Connection's win in the Pocahontas earns her 10 points toward a spot in the starting gate for that classic.

Bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place, Hidden Connection is out of the Awesome Again mare C J's Gal. Trained by Brett Calhoun, the 2-year-old filly is owned by Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. She is 2 for 2 lifetime, with $207,525 in career earnings.

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Major General Earns His Stripes in Iroquois

Major General took his record to two-for-two with a gutsy score in the GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs Saturday, earning a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The $420,000 KEESEP buy went gate to wire in his 6 1/2-panel unveiling at Saratoga Aug. 21 and was given a 9-2 chance for this step up in class. The bay raced off the rail in mid-pack as a pair of longshots battled through an opening quarter in :23.82. Moving into a joint fourth as the half went in :47.89, Major General charged to the lead alongside 'TDN Rising Star' Stellar Tap (Tapit) approaching the far turn and they entered the stretch in unison. A brief battled ensued, but Stellar Tap threw in the towel halfway home and a host of pursuers rallied up to take his place, but Major General held on for a narrow victory over Tough to Tame. Stellar Tap's jockey Ricardo Santana claimed foul for some bumping in the lane, but the result was left as is.

“You're always confident whenever Todd [Pletcher] puts you on a horse,” Javier Castellano said. “His team does a great job and this horse is just learning. He seemed to enjoy going two turns and when the other horses got to him in the stretch he started to re-break.”

Pedigree Notes:
Major General is the eighth graded and 17th black-type winner overall for WinStar stallion Constitution, whose third crop is two this year. Circular Road Breeders bred both Major General and his dam, the unraced No Mo Lemons, but sold them both in 2020. Major General went as a Keeneland January short yearling for $265,000 to Northface Bloodstock and was successfully pinhooked into a $420,000 September yearling, where Maverick Racing took him home. No Mo Lemons was hammered for $70,000 by Titletown Racing Stables at the Keeneland November sale and her now-yearling colt by Always Dreaming brought $95,000 at the same sale from Steven W. Young. No Mo Lemons didn't produce a 2021 foal, but was bred to Kantharos for next term. A number of stakes winners trace to the grandam of No Mo Lemons, a half-sister to GISW Well Chosen (Deputy Minister), including GISW Leofric (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGSW & GISP Multiple Choice (Mt. Livermore). Uncle Mo, with just seven crops to race himself, is young for a broodmare sire, but Major General counts as the third stakes winner out of his daughters.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
IROQUOIS S.-GIII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 9-18, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.88, ft.
1–MAJOR GENERAL, 118, c, 2, by Constitution
               1st Dam: No Mo Lemons, by Uncle Mo
               2nd Dam: Lemon Lady, by Lemon Drop Kid
               3rd Dam: Lady of Choice, by Storm Bird
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($265,000
Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $420,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm
LLC & Siena Farm LLC; B-Circular Road Breeders (KY); T-Todd
Pletcher; J-Javier Castellano. $177,525. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $232,525. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tough to Tame, 118, c, 2, Speightster–She'sa Tough Tiger,
by Tiger Ridge. ($75,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Rittdiculous
Gazmanian Stables; B-Elizabeth H. Muirhead (KY);
T-Christopher Davis. $57,750.
3–Red Knobs, 118, c, 2, Union Rags–Hokey Okey, by Lonhro
(Aus). ($75,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jim Bakke & Gerald
Isbister; B-Caldara Farm Inc. & Flaxman Holdings Limited
(KY); T-Dale L. Romans. $28,875.
Margins: NK, 3/4, HF. Odds: 4.90, 37.30, 29.70.
Also Ran: Bourbon Heist, Stellar Tap, Guntown, Strike Hard, Husband Material, Roger McQueen, Magnolia Midnight. Scratched: Lucky Boss.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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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 and put on a show down the stretch in her two-turn debut to win by an eye-catching 9 1/4 lengths, setting a new stakes record.

“She was working at Keeneland this spring before we went to Colonial,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “When she was working there I thought she could be special. Then we went to Colonial and she won so impressively on debut. She didn't have as much experience as some of the horses in this race but she backed up that win very well. If she comes out of things OK you'd have to think she's on to the Breeders' Cup.”

Hidden Connection, a flashy runaway debut winner with a strong 84 Beyer Speed Figure stopping the timer in 1:02 1/5 going 5 1/2 furlongs at Colonial Aug. 17, is the first stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Curlin). Black Type Thoroughbreds joined the ownership line following her debut romp for Hidden Brook Farm.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles for the Pocahontas was 1:43.78.

Pedigree Notes:

Hidden Connection is the first black-type winner for her freshman sire, who stands at Lane's End near Versailles in Central Kentucky. Winner of the 2016 GI Cigar Mile, Connect is a son of Curlin and has 120 current 2-year-olds. Twelve are winners to date, with Queen Camilla and Kneesnhips joining Hidden Connection as stakes horses, but only the latter is undefeated with a graded win on her CV. The winner's dam has a February-foaled weanling filly by Palace Malice and was bred back to Frosted. C J's Gal was sold as a sophomore at the 2016 Keeneland January sale, where she brought $9,500 from St. Simon Place, breeder of Hidden Connection. A daughter of Awesome Again, damsire of 85 stakes winners and who also counts the aforementioned Queen Camilla as an additional stakes horse out of one of his daughters, C J's Gal is out of a mare who is a half-sister to 2013 GI King's Bishop S. winner Capo Bastone (Street Boss).

Saturday, Churchill Downs
POCAHONTAS S.-GIII, $299,700, Churchill Downs, 9-18, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.78, ft.
1–HIDDEN CONNECTION, 118, f, 2, by Connect
               1st Dam: C J's Gal, by Awesome Again
               2nd Dam: C J's Leelee, by Mizzen Mast
               3rd Dam: Fight to Love, by Fit to Fight
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($49,000
RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV; $40,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $55,000 RNA
2yo '21 OBSAPR; $85,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Hidden Brook
Farm & Black Type Thoroughbreds; B-St. Simon Place (KY);
T-W. Bret Calhoun; J-Reylu Gutierrez. $177,525. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $207,525. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. *First SW for
freshman sire (by Curlin).
2–Mama Rina, 118, f, 2, Gormley–Honky Tonk Rose, by
Forest Wildcat. ($31,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $65,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables, Scott K. Akman,
Nehoc Stables, Paul Braverman, & Magdalena Racing; B-Lee
McMillin, Randy Faulkner & Joe Travelsted (KY); T-Kenneth
McPeek. $57,750.
3–Goddess of Fire, 118, f, 2, Mineshaft–Feel That Fire, by
Lightnin N Thunder. O/B-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $28,875.
Margins: 9 1/4, NK, 1. Odds: 1.80, 30.70, 5.00.
Also Ran: Code for Success, Majestic d'Oro, Ontheonesandtwos, Miss Chamita, Kneesnhips, Maxine Machine, Lemieux. Scratched: Joyrunner.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Demand Among Buyers ‘Unrelenting’ During Keeneland September Yearling Sale’s Fifth Session

The strong pace at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued Saturday when the auction resumed following a one-day hiatus and Donato Lanni, agent, acquired a filly by Curlin for $800,000 to lead positive results.

On Saturday, the fifth session of the September Sale and the first of the two-day Book 3, 269 yearlings sold for $45,003,000, for an average of $167,297 and a median of $135,000. To date, Keeneland has sold a total of 889 yearlings through the ring for $245,422,000, for an average of $276,065 and a median of $200,000.

There were 91 yearlings listed as reserve not attained, 25.3% of the 360 lots through the ring.

“The demand for quality stock from domestic end users has continued to drive the market, and it is unrelenting,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “There is a lot of positivity around the grounds with an influx of new buyers arriving daily. The Sales Pavilion has been busy every day, and we look forward to tomorrow when we have another exciting group on offer.”

The session topper, who was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, is out of Grade 3-placed Divine Elegance, by Uncle Mo. She is from the family of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Standard Deviation and Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Believe You Can.

John Williams paid $775,000 for a colt by Gun Runner consigned by Denali Stud, agent, He is out of the Indian Charlie mare Sapucai, a half-sister to Canadian champion Moonlit Promise, and from the family of Horse of the Year and sire A.P. Indy, Preakness (G1) winner Summer Squall and Grade 1 winner Court Vision.

A colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner City of Light who is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Selcourt sold for $760,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for SF Bloodstock/Starlight/Madaket. Consigned by Columbiana Farm, agent, he is out of Azure Spring, by Open Forum, and from the family of Grade 2 winner Fashionably Late.

Two yearlings by Gun Runner sold for $675,000 apiece.

A colt out of the Bernardini mare Secret Jewel sold for $675,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable and St. Elias. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the half-brother to Grade 3 winner Twenty Carat from the family of Breeders' Cup winners Shared Account and Sharing along with Grade 2 winner Sapphire N' Silk.

A daughter of Gun Runner out of stakes winner Happy Mesa, by Sky Mesa, sold for $675,000 to David Lanigan, agent for Heider Family Racing. The filly, who is from the family of Grade 1 winner Perfect Alibi, was consigned by Gainesway, agent.

Gainesway led all consignors Saturday by selling 23 horses for $4,620,000.

A filly by Curlin who is the first foal of Grade 3 winner Berned, by Bernardini, sold for $575,000 to Patrice Miller, E.Q.B., agent. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, she is from the family of Grade 1 winners Harmony Lodge and Magnum Moon.

Two yearlings by Practical Joke sold for $520,000 and $500,000.

Maverick/Siena paid $520,000 for a filly by Practical Joke from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Zazu and Grade 2 winner Flashback. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, she is out of the Lookin At Lucky mare Lucky Rose.

West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable and St. Elias, spent $500,000 on a Practical Joke colt consigned by Nursery Place, agent. Out of the Empire Maker mare Queen of the Realm, he is from the family of champion and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist, Grade 1 winner Sahara Sky, Grade 2 winner Seeking Regina and Grade 3 winner Seeking the Sky.

Also bringing $500,000 was a colt from the first crop of champion Good Magic out of the Scat Daddy mare Charladora, a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Laoban, who sold to Buffolo Bloodstock. Lane's End, agent, consigned the colt, who also is from the family of Grade 1 winner I'm a Chatterbox and Canadian champion Mr. Hustle.

Mike Ryan, agent, was the leading buyer, spending $3.07 million for 11 horses.

The September Sale continues Sunday and runs through Friday, Sept. 24. All sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET.

The entire September Sale is streamed live at Keeneland.com.

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