Hidden Connection Returns to Work Tab at Fair Grounds

Hidden Connection , who won her first two starts by open lengths, turned in her first work Dec. 19 since a fourth-place finish in the Nov. 5 NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The breeze was a start back toward a 3-year-old campaign with an immediate eye on the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep races.

The Connect   filly worked three furlongs at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in :36 4/5, the second-fastest time of 10 works at the distance Sunday.

"She looks like she's doing well. We just tried to give her an easy breeze today, we weren't wanting to go quite that quick," trainer Bret Calhoun said. "She's very willing and obviously she has a pretty high cruising speed. It was pretty easy for her today what she did. We had her under a pretty snug hold, that's what she did, and things went very well."

Hidden Connection is campaigned by Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds. After the Breeders' Cup, she received some down time at Hidden Brook in Ocala, Fla., before returning to Calhoun's Fair Grounds winter base.

"Lucky for us she's been a very sound, healthy filly. We had no reason to give her time off other than she was a 2-year-old filly who had been through several races, had been through a couple sales," Calhoun said. "I wanted to give her a little freshener to get her ready for a strong 3-year-old campaign."

Hidden Brook, agent, paid $85,000 for Hidden Connection from the Coastal Equine consignment at the Ocala Breeders' Sales June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age, her fourth trip through an auction ring and second of the year. She was bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place from the Awesome Again mare C J's Gal and now has earnings of $307,525.

Hidden Connection debuted Aug. 17 at Colonial Downs and drew off to win by 7 1/2 lengths. Next out she won the Sept. 18 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs by 9 1/4 lengths. She then shipped to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, in which she stumbled at the start and finished fourth.

"It was really disappointing. I kind of let myself get pretty optimistic for that race. We were pretty excited going in, everything was going very well, and I thought she would make a much better showing than that," Calhoun said. "The stumble maybe took her out of her game plan, put her in a little bit different position, maybe that was it. I really don't know why she didn't run any better than that. Obviously the stumble was a factor."

Calhoun said Hidden Connection had come out of the Breeders' Cup well and he is looking forward to her sophomore season. 

"We've got the upcoming preps at the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn on our mind. We're going to let her take us there," Calhoun said. "I would say it'd probably be one of those in February."

Fair Grounds runs the Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) Feb. 19 and Oaklawn Park hosts the Honeybee Stakes (G3) Feb. 26.