Noble Tune News: Unbridled’s Song Dominates Gr3 General George
| Noble Tune News: Unbridled’s Song Dominates Gr3 General George |
The two greys fought it out to the finish in the Gr3 General George Handicap on 16 February, both colts with a common denominator – Unbridled’s Song.
Misconnect, a three year old son of Unbridled’s Song grabbed the Gr3 at Laurel Park over 1400m, winning by a neck from Cutty Shark, yet another grey gelding whose paternal grandsire is Unbridled’s Song, out of a Trippi mare.
Misconnect goes one further in relation to Noble Tune, being out of Summer Raven by Summer Squall – sharing a remarkably similar pedigree to that of Rathmor’s new stallion.
Summer Squall is by Storm Bird – the sire of Noble Tune’s broodmare sire, the world Champion Storm Cat. The similarity doesnt stop there though, as Summer Raven’s dam is in turn by Rahy, the sire of Noble Tune’s great third dam, Serena’s Song.
Misconnect is trained by Bruce Levine, who realising that the outer part of the Laurel track was better than the inside, Levine instructed jockey Kendrick Carmouche to get Misconnect off the rail. Despite breaking from a second draw, Carmouche complied, and he was up to gain the lead outside Cutty Shark – who looked like he had the race put away in upper stretch – to win by a neck.
“We told Kendrick to get him off the inside because of the way the track was playing,” Levine said by phone from New York after the race. “I called my assistant, and he relayed the message.”
Cutty Shark began to advance on the far turn, Misconnect followed him. Cutty Shark opened a clear lead in upper stretch and held a two 1/2-length lead at the eighth pole. Misconnect steadily closed the gap and made the lead nearing the wire.
Misconnect is now a four time winner for nine starts with earnings of $327,100, previously finishing third last year in the Queen’s County Handicap (Listed).
Levine said Misconnect will be pointed to the Gr1 Carter on 4 April at Aqueduct. Like the General George, the $400,000 Carter is at seven furlongs.
Noble Tune’s half-brother, Gr2 Remsen winner Honor Code, had his first start and win in November after an eight month lay off due to injury, and looks to be aimed at the Gr2 Gulfstream Park Handicap in early March.
Standing for R25 000, the Gr2 and Gr3 winning Noble Tune is the first son of Unbridled’s Song to stand in South Africa. Noble Tune successfully covered his first season with a quality book of mares, and his first foals are eagerly anticipated.
extract – drf.com
