A Connect Exacta: Chip Honcho, Ocelli 1-2 in Ohio Derby

Progeny of one particular stallion connected with the exacta in the June 20 Ohio Derby (G3) at Thistledown. Two sons of Connect finished 1-2 in the $500,000 race, with Chip Honcho stalking the pace and running down Ocelli by a length in the 1 1/8-mile race. Ocelli finished 3 1/4 lengths clear of Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Trendsetter in third. The victory, the first in five starts this year for Chip Honcho and his initial graded win, came despite him being keen entering the first turn as jockey Jose Ortiz asked him to settle behind Robusta, Desert Gate, and Albus. But he ultimately relaxed in fourth, reserving his energy for the second half of the race. Traffic on the second turn forced Ortiz to be patient, and Tyler Gaffalione on Ocelli urged his mount forward from the back of the pack to momentarily block an opening for Chip Honcho and stall his momentum. But Ocelli's long bid—from eighth after a half-mile to fifth after 6 furlongs to first after a mile—resulted in him slowing his pace late. Once Chip Honcho gathered momentum, he had enough to overhaul Ocelli, the Kentucky Derby (G1) show finisher who remains a maiden after nine starts. "Tyler made a good move around the three-eighths pole, so I had to wait for him to go," said Ortiz, the Derby and Belmont Stakes (G1)-winning jockey aboard Golden Tempo. "He got the jump on me, and then I had to go around him. And luckily I had the best horse today." The top two in the Ohio Derby—separated by 2 3/4 lengths when they were third and fourth, respectively, in the Preakness Stakes (G1) five weeks ago—grabbed the spotlight Saturday. The Steve Asmussen-trained winner ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:51.18 after fractions of :22.72, :47.30, and 1:12.36 set by Robusta. Chip Honcho returned $7.60 to win as the second favorite behind Desert Gate, who faded to fourth. Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe, and John Cilia's Chip Honcho scored for the first time since taking the Gun Runner Stakes in December at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He was beaten by high-class 3-year-olds such as Golden Tempo, Paladin, Emerging Market, and Napoleon Solo over that stretch. Chip Honcho, bred in Kentucky by Venneri Racing and Tony Fanticola out of the stakes-winning Magician (IRE) mare Miss My Rose, earned $300,000 for Saturday's victory, elevating his earnings to $800,475, with a 3-2-1 record in eight starts. Lee Ackerley bought him for $210,000 from the Penn Sales consignment at the Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale in 2024. Connect, who has stood at Lane's End in Kentucky since entering stud in 2018, has been sold to Seyda Ercan Stable in Turkey. Nerazurri Scores in Lady Jacqueline The Ohio Derby card featured one other black-type event, the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Facing easier after a pair of rear-half finishes in grade 1 company at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs, Michael Eiserman's Nerazurri proved a handy 4 3/4-length winner in that race, defeating runner-up Take Charge Omaha and third-place Low Country Magic. She was clocked in 1:51.60 for the distance and returned $3.40 to win as the heavy favorite in the field of seven. Flavien Prat rode her, a 4-year-old daughter of Protonico out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Beautiful Liar, for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Her victory improved her career record to 6-for-18 and her earnings to $571,738.