Cigar Mile winner to retire to Lane's End at end of racing career

Connect, winner of the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct last year, will retire to Lane's End Farm in Kentucky at the end of his racing career.

The four-year-old son of Curlin broke his maiden on his three-year-old debut and won four of his next five starts, including three stakes races.

Trained by Chad Brown for Paul Pompa, Connect defeated Gun Runner to win the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby in September, with Nyquist well in arrears, and saw off Divining Rod to land the Cigar Mile.

"Connect is poised to be one of the top older horses this year," said Brown. "He's done everything we've asked of him from his stakes debut at Saratoga to defeating the Derby and Preakness winner and winning his first Grade 1."

Connect was bred by Fox Straus out of the unraced Holy Bull mare Bullville Belle and hails from the family of Pompa's Grade 1 Garden City winner Backseat Rhythm.

He was bought by Pompa for $150,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale.

Will Farish of Lane's End said: "He's by an emerging top-class sire who's one of the most commercially sought after stallions on the market. He will cross beautifully with A.P. Indy-line mares, which Curlin has had so much success with.

"He's an outstanding physical, very much akin to the successful stallions on our roster today. We're confident breeders will find him very attractive.

"We're certainly grateful for the opportunity to partner with Mr Pompa and very pleased with the strength of the syndicate behind the horse."

Connect is expected to make his seasonal bow this spring.