How to bet With, and Against, Hidden Connection in the 2023 Chilukki Stakes

A total of nine fillies and mares will travel one-mile on the Churchill Downs dirt in Saturday’s $300,000 Chilukki S. (G3). The morning-line choice is #3 Hidden Connection (5-2) for conditioner Bret Calhoun. The four-year-old daughter of Connect was a sharp runner-up to Search Results in the Locust Grove S. (G3) on the oval in her latest offering, and the filly has shown improvement since adding blinkers two back, as well. She has run well on the Churchill Downs surface in the past, and the one-turn mile might be perfect for the dark bay with Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. 

Hidden Connection – With 

• $6 exacta key box 3 with 1,4,9 ($36)
• $.50-cent superfecta 3 with 1,4,9 with 1,4,9 with all ($18)

Hidden Connection – Against

• $15 win and place #9 Hot and Sultry ($30)
• $1 trifecta 1,4,9 with 1,3,4,9 with 1,3,4,9 ($18) 
• $.50-cent superfecta 9 with 1,4 with 1,3,4 with all ($12)

I like the chances #9 Hot and Sultry (7-2) has to run big off the layoff for conditioner Norm Casse. Third in the Apple Blossom (G1) in the spring, the stakes heroine has run well with some top company in 2023, and she comes in fresh off of some solid morning drills in advance of her return. The four-year-old daughter of Speightster seems ideally placed at a one-turn mile off the shelf, and the outside draw will be a benefit to her, as well. She will be tracking the pace while clear and in range throughout beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. 

Bill Mott’s #1 Nostalgic (9-2) performed well at one turn going eight furlongs in a pair of outings at Saratoga in the summer and will be a major factor late with anything resembling those races. The Godolphin homebred is a graded vixen who possesses a big turn of foot, and she will be saving all the ground in the affair with Florent Geroux taking the reins. 

Chris Block’s #4 Oeuvre (5-1) is a win machine who will make her local bow on Saturday. The consistently very good chestnut sports a superb 10-8-2-0 mark on the dirt in her lifetime and has won four races in succession while maintaining excellent form this campaign. The Illinois-bred has versatility in her running style and figures to be close throughout at this distance, as well. Jareth Loveberry has the riding assignment.