Connaught Cup Stakes (Grade 2)- $175.000 Purse
WO- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Turf
June 1, 2019

Today would not be the first time that Quarter King and Great Bounty got their picture taken together. On a much bigger stage and with a greater bounty available, Great Bounty took the BC Turf Sprint by a neck over Quarter King. The stakes were much less this time, but Quarter King was able to turn the tides from that fateful day in November, and in the Connaught Cup Stakes, it would be he defeating Great Bounty by a head. Winning trainer Gdp Inc will take it, as he wins this race for the first time in his career. Congratulations to them! That is true for jockey J Lermyte as well. The time of the win was 1:20.10, a middle of the road winning time when the race was run with identical conditions. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.09)- The race begins without seeing any horse be particularly aggressive out of the gate. After the first furlong, though, Forbidden City, out of D J C Racing Stables emerges from the pack and eventually opens up a lead of a length and a half after a quarter mile. Behind him are the three that began to his inside. Quarter King, our eventual winner as well as being our pick, is in the middle of this group for his trainer, Gdp Inc. He is sandwiched between the reigning BC champions, Estero Farms’ Lucky Phooey on his inside, and Drabfantasy’s Great Bounty to his outside. After them, there is a gap of another length and a half to Its True (YME Stable). No Childe Of Mine (Our Athletes), the post time favorite is on his inside, and nearby on the outside is Roger That (Mb Stables). Controlled Power (Spankys Barn) is the trailer.

(½ Mile- :45.98)- Down the backstretch, and into the long turn, the longshot Forbidden City continues to show the way by a length and a half. Lucky Phooey is second, and to his outside is Quarter King. Great Bounty, however, who had been running side by side with Quarter King would lose about a length on him during this portion of the race, and that would prove to be pivotal ground that he would be looking to make up later. No Childe Of Mine had moved up alongside him on the inside as he tried to come through on the rail. Its True, Roger That, and Controlled Power remained at the back.

(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- The leader is still Forbidden City, but the horse to watch now would be Quarter King as he explodes with run on exit of the turn. This allows him to pass Lucky Phooey for second, and his taking over of the lead seemed inevitable. Also looking great on exit of turn was Great Bounty, as he goes four wide but still will need to get back that length he conceded while rounding the turn to Quarter King. Lucky Phooey was still holding his own, and No Childe Of Mine was looking for room to run. Now, he moved to hopefully follow Quarter King through. Its True was in the thick of the pack, but did not have much room to run at this time. Controlled Power and Roger That were looking beaten.

(Finish- 1:20.10)- Quarter King made such quick work of Forbidden City that the tail wind of the move caused that one to lose interest. Quarter King was in an all out stride, but Great Bounty was also making an emphatic charge. He was gaining slightly on him, but with a half furlong to go, it looked like he might just be able to do it. However, that’s when Quarter King told Great Bounty, “Not this time!” The two of them had a fantastic battle until the wire and it could have gone any which way until the last strides. This time, the determination of Quarter King not to be beaten would be enough, and he gets the big win. Great Bounty settles for a hard earned second and can take solace in knowing he has the bigger win between the two of them. Its True ran very well in the stretch, too, finally finding some room on the outside and that will get him a third place finish. Given the performance of the top two, Its True’s effort should not be overlooked here. No Childe Of Mine settles for fourth, a length ahead of Lucky Phooey and Forbidden City. Controlled Power and Roger That finish up the order.

About The Winner- Quarter King, trained by Gdp Inc, and ridden to victory by J Lermyte, is a five year old gelding by Beauty King, and is out Vieux Care. He was bred in New York by Gdp Inc as a third quarter two year old, the only trainer for which he has ever known! Congratulations to the connections! The win is his sixth in 17 starts, and is his second stake win, each being graded. His career earnings are now $617.600.

Track: Firm
Time: :23   :45⁴  1:08³  1:20

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 3 Paid 12.40
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 3 – 6 Paid 179.60

Scratched: None

Winner picked by NS

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES