Dimension breaks slow, finishes fast at 20-1 in Connaught Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario —The Kentucky shipper Dimension overcame a tardy start to post a 20-1 upset in Sunday’s Grade 2, $208,000 Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

Dimension ($42.70) gave his four rivals about a three-length head-start in the seven-furlong turf sprint. He trailed through the turn before mounting a wide rally in unison with Passion for Action, and then outfinished that one en route to half-length score under David Moran.

Bye Bye Bernie wound up third. Glenville Gardens faded to fourth after pressing the favored Stacked Deck, who came up empty after setting slow fractions, before drifting out at the top of the stretch.

The final time over “good” ground was 1:21.84.

Dimension, an 8-year-old English import by Medicean, earned $120,000 for Riverside Bloodstock and trainer Conor Murphy.

“He won the Play the King here in 2013,” Murphy recalled. “He loves it up here, the European-style turf course. He actually hasn’t had a lot of luck in this race. Two years ago, he stumbled out of the gate, and never got into it. Last year, it rained heavily a couple hours before the race. He really needs quick ground, and the heavy rain stayed away today. He’s been training fantastically.”