Clovisconnection leads gate to wire in Auburn Stakes
Homebred Clovisconnection was in front at every call to win the $50,000 Auburn Stakes on Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Trained by Blaine Wright and owned by William Hedrick, Clovisconnection dueled for the early lead through spirited splits of 21.54 seconds and 43.59 before shaking free to win by 4 1/4 lengths and covering six furlongs in 1:07.59. The winner paid $3.60 as the favorite.
Lloyds Logic battled on the early pace and held on to be second, with Company's Dream a distant third in the field of six.
Wright won the Auburn Stakes for the fourth consecutive year. According to winning rider Kevin Radke, the instructions in the paddock included: "You're gonna have to put this horse up there close and just send him outta there and see where you're at."
Clovisconnection started from the rail and after the first two furlongs a trio of runners were heads apart for the lead. Having been committed to the task along the inside by then, the son of Vronsky did not bow to the pressure and instead increased his lead through the stretch.
Co-featured on the Sunday card was the Seattle Stakes, run at six furlongs for 3-year-old fillies, where the winner was heavy favorite Aloha Breeze. Trained by Tom Wenzel, Aloha Breeze was in front at every call and enjoyed a comfortable 4 1/2-length advantage in the end over runner-up Miss Dynamic, who was second at every call. The running time was 1:08.52. The daughter of The Factor earned $27,500 for her effort and raised her career bankroll to $109,210 for owner George Todaro.
Aloha Breeze was the winner of the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes as a 2-year-old at Emerald Downs in 2022, and she is now 2 for 2 in 2023, having romped in an allowance race on May 13.
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