Cigar mile handicap

(grade 1)

PAUL Pompa Jr. stood in the winner’s circle at Saratoga and said big things.

You know owners after wins, they can get carried away, caught up in the moment of a win, the relief erasing any restraint. But, not Pompa. The New Yorker stood statue still, without a hint of emotion, elation or commotion and said it like he was ordering a black coffee from his corner diner.

“This might be the second best horse I’ve ever owned,” Pompa said. There was no need for a follow-up question - Pompa owned Big Brown, the once-beaten winner of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Haskell in a mercurial seven-race career.

Back in August, Pompa branded Connect, a three-year-old colt with just four starts with the “second best” tag. Trained by Chad Brown, Connect flopped in his next start, finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Travers. But since chasing Arrogate that day, Connect has backed up Pompa’s praise, winning the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby and the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct last Saturday.

In the Pennsylvania Derby, Connect gutted out a half-length win over Gun Runner (you’ll read more about him later), it wasn’t pretty but it was a win.

Two months later, the son of Curlin combined talent and moxie to earn a head decision over Divining Rod in the $500,000 Cigar Mile.

Javier Castellano is undefeated on Connect, winning an allowance race, the Pennsylvania Derby and the Cigar Mile.

“He’s not explosive but he can come with a good run,” Castellano said. “He carries his speed. He never stops. He’s a big horse, he’s strong and he’s got a powerful, beautiful stride. I really like that horse, because of the way he can sit off and make his run.”

A $150,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton July, Connect might be getting closer to Big Brown on Pompa’s depth chart.

CLASS

“Just class,” Pompa said. “Chad has a great opinion of him, this horse has done everything right, has shown a lot of class right from the beginning.”

The beginning took a while. Connect made his career debut at Aqueduct in December, 2015, then didn’t turn up again until May. He’s lost once since.

“He had some two-year-old issues, just needed some extra time, finally got there, ran well and had an injury and had to go to the farm. It took a while to get him back when the horse came back, he trained lights out,” Brown said. “We always thought a lot of him as a two-year-old, he came back as a three-year-old and he was very impressive in the mornings. We just took our time, Paul is patient, he never pushes, he never gives you specific dates or goals, just take your time, the horse has really progressed nicely.”

Look out, Big Brown.