Lockout Closes to Connaught Cup Win
Image:
Description:
John Oxley's Lockout swiftly accelerated through the final sixteenth at Woodbine May 30 to post his first graded stakes win in the $200,000 Connaught Cup (Can-II), his first start of the year .
Showing good closing speed for Gary Boulanger from fourth in early stretch, Lockout kicked wide down the lane, overtaking runner-up Phil's Dream and scooting clear to a one-length triumph in 1:22.64 for seven furlongs on good turf.
The Connaught Cup win is the sixth from 23 career starts for Lockout, a 6-year-old son of Limehouse who won a listed stakes Remington Park in 2012 and entered with four graded placings, most recently his second to Kaigun in the 2014 Play the King (Can-II) last August at Woodbine. He won a turf allowance November 16 at Churchill Downs for trainer Mark Casse in his previous start.
Amidst light rain, Dimension missed the break and Conquest Top Gun was a step slow leaving the gate as River Seven and last year's winner Excaper spurted to the front. River Seven led Excaper by no more than a half-length through fractions of :23.59 and :47.25 for a half mile, while Lockout saved ground in sixth in the seven-horse field.
Excaper edged to the lead at the top of the stretch as Justin Stein urged Phil's Dream into motion with the advancing Lockout angling inside to outside for clear running. Those four spread across the track in the late running with Lockout widest and fastest of all to get the victory.
Phil's Dream bested River Seven by a head for second.
Lockout, toting 117 pounds, paid $10.70, $5.40, and $3.30, Phil's Dream returned $4.70 and $3.40, and River Seven paid $4 to show, both under 118 pounds. Excaper, the 3-1 favorite and the 122-pound topweight, was fourth, followed by Conquest Top Gun, Dimension, and Eminent Force to complete the order of finish
The winning Wild Deputy mare Non Sibi is the dam of Lockout, who was bred in Kentucky by Columbiana Farm, which sold him to Casse for $37,000 at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.