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Nyquist Filly Goes Gate to Wire in Sunland Park Oaks

Locally based Flying Connection turned in a powerful front-running performance Sunday to stamp her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks. The bay closed out last season with a convincing tally in the Zia Princess S., and resurfaced in the local Borderplex S. to be third at 30 cents on the dollar. She bounced back while stretching out to best Love Tank by more than nine lengths in the Island Fashion S. Feb. 28, but had to contend with Bob Baffert-trained invader Doinitthehardway this time.

Able to seize a narrow advantage into the first turn from the hard-ridden odds-on Doinitthehardway, Flying Connection posted splits of :22.89, :46.09 and 1:11.14. She was all by herself at that point, and kept on kicking to pick up 50 Kentucky Oaks points.

Nyquist also sired last year's GIII Sunland Derby winner Slow Down Andy, and the runner-up in this year's renewal. The winner's dam raced almost exclusively in sprints on synthetic, including when third in the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. The daughter of MGSW Ruby Surprise (Farma Way) has a 2-year-old colt named Laugh for Sul (Practical Joke, $40K KEESEP), and a yearling colt by McKinzie. She most recently visited Constitution.

SUNLAND PARK OAKS, $300,000, Sunland, 3-26, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.90, ft.
1–FLYING CONNECTION, 121, f, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Free Flying Soul (MSW & MGISP, $423,177), by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Ruby Surprise, by Farma Way
3rd Dam: Santa Rosalia, by Bold Bidder
($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-King, Brad, Andrews, Randy,
Coleman, G. Chris, Cone, Jim, Kirby, Suzanne and Lewis, Lee;
B-Liberty Road Stables (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher; J-Alfredo J.
Juarez, Jr. $176,400. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1, $294,700.
2–Love Tank, 121, f, 3, Kitten's Joy–Perichole (Brz), by Fahim
(GB). ($30,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $55,000 2yo '22 KEENOV).
O-Judge Lanier Racing and Drought, James L.; B-Bonne Chance
Farm LLC (KY); T-Nancy Summers. $64,680.
3–Don't Get Pickled, 121, f, 3, Misremembered–C C's Pride, by
Successful Appeal. ($9,500 Ylg '21 ARZNOV). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Stable H. M. A.; B-Harry K Keshian & Cheryl Keshian (CA);
T-Miguel L. Hernandez. $29,400.
Margins: 2 1/4, 6HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.30, 19.90, 37.60.
Also Ran: Una Palabra, Doinitthehardway, Cairo Moon, Foolish Delight.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Franco, Rice Capture Winter Meet Titles At Aqueduct

Jockey Manny Franco captured his fourth winter meet riding title at Aqueduct, posting 63 wins at the meet that ran from Jan. 1 to March 26. Linda Rice paced all trainers with 37 wins, while Windylea Farm secured their first NYRA-circuit owners title with 12 wins.

“It means a lot to me. This is what we're here for,” said Franco, who is represented by agent John Panagot. “I want to be one of the top riders here on the New York circuit, and I work hard to make it happen. I want to thank all the trainers and owners that support me during the year. I'm happy to be back on top again.”

“It's been a really good winter,” added Rice. “We've had a good fall and we had a good meet before that as well. Then to come back and have a really good winter meet was great. We had a couple stakes winners, Betsy Blue and Downtown Mischief. But, in general, the whole barn and my entire staff has been working real hard and it showed up in the afternoon.”

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Munnings Filly a Monster Once Again at Tampa

'TDN Rising Star' Munnys Gold turned her stakes debut into a laugher while stamping herself as a potential major force among sophomore fillies this season. A jaw-dropping 14 1/2-length debut winner at Monmouth last June, good for a gaudy 101 Beyer Speed Figure, the dark bay was subsequently sidelined with a foot bruise, but eventually resurfaced to make short work of first-level Florida-bred allowance foes at Gulfstream Jan. 25. She was facing her sternest test to date with the likes of Dreaming of Snow, upsetter of champion Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) in the Suncoast S., present, but was again in a race of her own Sunday.

Willing to briefly allow a longshot to take command down the backside through a swift :21.79 quarter, Munnys Gold started to open up after a :44.30 half. Still on cruise control into the lane as her rivals were pumped on to keep up, the chalk was given a couple taps to shift gears in upper stretch and she zoomed away to quickly double her already insurmountable advantage and demolish a track record of 1:20.89 set by future GISW Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}).

The winner has a yearling half-sister by Frosted and her dam was bred back to Game Winner for this term. She is bred on a version of the super potent Speightstown over Medaglia d'Oro cross responsible for GISWs Olympiad, Rock Fall and Competitionofideas.

STONEHEDGE FARM SOUTH SOPHOMORE FILLIES S., $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-26, (S), 3yo, f, 7f, 1:20.09 (NTR), ft.
1–MUNNYS GOLD, 122, f, 3, by Munnings
               1st Dam: Haraawa, by Medaglia d'Oro
               2nd Dam: Alseera, by Distorted Humor
               3rd Dam: Unbridled Idol, by Unbridled
'TDN Rising Star' ($92,000 Wlg '20 FTKNOV; $300,000 Ylg '21
FTKJUL). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Lawana L. & Robert E. Low;
B-Nicksar Farms (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $126,900.
2–Dreaming of Snow, 124, f, 3, Jess's Dream–Snow Fashion, by
Old Fashioned. ($35,000 Ylg '21 OBSOCT; $60,000 2yo '22
OBSMAR). O-Team Equistaff, LLC. & Winning Stables, Inc.;
B-Karyn Philipp (FL); T-Gerald S. Bennett. $20,000.
3–Awesome Pic, 118, f, 3, Awesome Slew–Shirley's Pic, by
Overdriven. O-Smith, Robert G., George, Richard Kingston and
Wayne and Chico Owens, LLC; B-Richard George (FL); T-Robert Smith. $10,000.
Margins: 17 1/4, NK, 1. Odds: 0.40, 5.00, 20.30.
Also Ran: Dream Concert, Sherlyn Go Go, Pretty'n Awesome, Lynx, Jackie's Spirit.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Sunday Workers Target Santa Anita Derby

Several prospects targeting the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby April 8 worked Sunday including the top three finishers of the GII San Felipe–Practical Move (Practical Joke), Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Skinner (Curlin).

Practical Move, out of Tim Yakteen's barn, worked five furlongs in :59 seconds.

“Straightforward drill, looked good,” Yakteen said. “He was just cruising like he always does. It makes my job easier.”

Geaux Rocket Ride worked six furlongs for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, completing the move in 1:12.20.

“The rockets are ready to fire,” Mandella said.

Skinner worked six furlongs in 1:14.0 for trainer John Shirreffs.

Yakteen also worked GI Arkansas Derby favorite Reincarnate (Good Magic) and Fort Bragg (Tapit) Sunday. Reincarnate went five furlongs in :59.80 seconds.

Fort Bragg, who went in :59.40, was entered for Sunday's GIII Sunland Park Derby but was scratched in favor of the GI Florida Derby Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

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