Hidden connection , who won her first two starts at open length, entered her first run on December 19 since finishing fourth in the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Fillies (G1) ) Nov. 5. The breeze is a return to the 3-year-old campaign with immediate attention to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep races.
The Link worked filthy three clamps at Fair Grounds & Slots in: 36 4/5, the second fastest time out of 10 works in the Sunday gap.
“She looks like she’s doing well. We were just trying to take her easy today, we didn’t want to go that fast,” said coach Bret Calhoun. “She’s very willing and she obviously has a pretty high airspeed. She did it pretty easily today. We kept her under pretty tight protection, that’s what she is for. she did and everything went very well.”
Hidden Connection is campaigned by Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. After Breeders’ Cup, she had a layover at Hidden Brook in Ocala, Fla., before heading back to her winter base at Calhoun’s Fair Grounds.
“Luckily for us, she is a very good and healthy person. We have no reason to let her rest other than that she is a 2-year-old who has been through a number of races, has went through a few sales,” Calhoun said. “I wanted to give her some soft drinks to get her ready for a strong 3-year-old campaign.”
Hidden Brook, the dealer, paid $85,000 for Hidden Connection from a Coastal Equine shipment at Ocala Breeders’ Sale June 2 Year Old Horse and Race Age Horse Sale, her fourth ride through an auction round and second time in a year. She was bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place from Awesome Again CJ’s Gal and is currently earning $307,525.
Hidden Connections launches on August 17th at Colony Downs and tie to win by 7 1/2 length. Next, she won Pocahontas Stakes (G3) on September 18 at Churchill Downs 9 1/4 of the length. Then she moved in Del Mar for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, in which she stumbled in first and finished fourth.
“It’s really disappointing. I feel pretty optimistic for that race. We’re pretty excited going into the race, things are going really well and I think she’s going to do even better,” Calhoun said. speak. “The stumble could take her out of her game plan, put her in a slightly different position, perhaps. I really don’t know why she doesn’t run a bit better. . Obviously the stumble was a factor.”
Calhoun said Hidden Connection excelled at Breeders’ Cup and he’s looking forward to her second season.
“We’ve got preparations coming up at the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn,” Calhoun said. “We’ll let her take us there,” Calhoun said. “I would say it will probably be one of those things in February.”
Fair Grounds operates Rachel Alexandra Shares presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) on February 19 and Oaklawn Park held Honeybee Staking (G3) on February 26.
