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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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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.”

Hidden Connection will be ridden by Reylu Gutierrez, who plans to ride the entirety of the September meet at Churchill Downs. Gutierrez, who was based at Colonial Downs this summer, rode Hidden Connection to her victory.

“She acts like she'll handle the extra distance just fine,” Gutierrez said. “I really like the post we drew [No. 9] and think she's ready for this test.”

Ontheonesandtwos (Jimmy Creed) will try to recapture some of the luster seen in her early races at Churchill Downs when she marks her return for trainer Norm Casse Saturday. Listed at 5-2 on the morning line, the chestnut kicked off her career with a score going five furlongs at the Louisville oval May 13 before finishing second to Behave Virginia (Unified) in the six-furlong Debutante S. Favored in her latest in the Aug. 8 GII Adirondack S. at 6 1/2 panels, she came home sixth.

“We're really pleased with the way she came back out of the Adirondack at Saratoga,” Casse said. “I think the track that day was pretty speed favoring and she made her run on the far turn but couldn't catch the leaders. We got her back to Churchill Downs where we know she loves this track and has some race experience beneath her.”

Majestic d'Oro (Speightster) came from off the pace in her career bow sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Indiana Grand Aug. 19 and ran off to win for fun, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the chestnut gets the services of Martin Garcia while stepping up to graded company for the first time here.

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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 price for a juvenile this season. TJCIS PPs

3rd-ELP, $51K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:46 p.m.
Frank Fletcher and Ten Strike Racing's PURE ROCKET (Lord Nelson) gets his start for Brad Cox. Representing his sire's first crop of foals, the colt brought $460,000 at Keeneland last September, making him the highest priced offering by the Spendthrift sire last season. Bred by Mulholland Springs, the colt is out of Reina Maria (Songandaprayer), the dam of of Grade II winner Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief), also standing at Spendthrift Farm. Cox is also represented by $625,000 KEESEP buy Guest Speaker (Into Mischief), representing Larry Best's OXO Equine. TJCIS PPs

5th-ELP, $51K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 3:42 p.m.
OXO Equine LLC's GUNOE (Into Mischief) adds some sparkle to Ellis' Sunday card. Trained by Brad Cox, the son of GSP Curlina (Cuvee) realized $1 million at KEESEP last season. He is a half-brother to GSP Sine Wave (Big Brown). TJCIS PPs

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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 of the track and surged past My Sassenach in deep stretch en route to a one-length graduation. Lara's Lady faded to last. Queen Camilla, a $10,000 OBSOCT yearling, is the second winner for her freshman sire (by Curlin). The unraced And Away We Go, a daughter of multiple Grade I winner Queens Court Queen (Lyphard), produced a a colt by Good Magic this year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $45,400.
O-Cammarota Racing LLC; B-Sally J. Andersen (FL); T-Antonio Sano.

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