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OZONE PARK, N.Y. -- As Connect and Divining Rod battled through the Aqueduct stretch of Saturdays Grade 1 Cigar Mile, trainer Chad Brown wondered if the lack of a recent race would compromise his horses chances to win.But Connect, the 3-year-old on the outside under Javier Castellano, kept on persevering and was able to outduel Divining Rod, a 4-year-old to his inside, and win the $500,000 Cigar Mile by a short head.It was the fifth win from seven starts for Connect and his first in a Grade 1. He hadnt run since taking the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 24, beating Gun Runner, who had won Fridays Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.I was concerned because he hadnt had a recent race under his belt, but I know how much heart this horse has and how competitive he is, and he really showed a lot of heart today, Brown said. Its very rewarding to see a horse that shows you so much promise since theyre an unraced 2-year-old really turn out to be what you thought they could be. A 3-year-old beating olders in a race like this is a very high mark on his résumé.The win improved Connects record to 5 for 7 and pushed his career earnings to $1.25 million.The win also helped pad Browns résumé for a possible Eclipse Award as top trainer as the Cigar Mile was Browns 60th stakes victory of the year, his 41st graded stakes and his 11th Grade 1.Brown had chosen the Cigar Mile for Connect immediately after the Pennsylvania Derby, believing the horse would need significant time to recover from a hard race. He also felt the one-turn mile would be more significant for Connects second career as a stallion than would Fridays $500,000 Clark, a two-turn, 1-1/8-mile race at Churchill.Also, the Cigar Mile didnt have a Grade 1 winner in the field, and Connect was sent off as the 3-2 favorite in the 10-horse field.Connect settled into fifth position down the backstretch as Anchor Down sparred on the lead with Threefiveindia, also trained by Brown, through a quarter in 23.31 seconds and a half-mile in 46.44. Realm and Divining Rod were in the second flight.Divining Rod, equipped with blinkers for the first time, and Connect launched their bids almost simultaneously, with Divining Rod three wide and Connect four wide. Divining Rod held a brief advantage turning for home, but by the three-sixteenths pole, the pair was on equal terms. Divining Rod had the lead inside the sixteenth pole, but Connect kept on fighting and got his head on the wire first.You have to ride a little bit, you have to be focused and ride aggressive, and I tried to pass the other horse, Castellano said. He fought all the way to the end.Connect, a son of Curlin owned by Paul Pompa Jr., covered the mile in 1:34.34 and returned $5 as the 3-2 favorite.He ran his race. That was a great race, exciting finish; we just couldnt get there, said Arnaud Delacour, the trainer of Divining Rod. I thought that was a big stretch from both of them. Connect is a great horse.Realm finished third by a neck over War Story, who was followed by Anchor Down, Threefiveindia, Tale of Savall, Economic Model, Mylute, and Ocean Knight.Connect is a two-time winner at 1-1/8 miles, so it is expected that Pompa could have many suitors in terms of leasing the horse for a spot in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28. The Pegasus is open to 12 horses, but those 12 slots have already been sold for $1 million apiece. However, many slot holders dont have a suitable horse.Pompa said he already has fielded phone calls about the possibility of leasing the horse for that race.Whatever I do Ill discuss with my trainer, Pompa said. Gary Sanchez Jersey . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Sonny Gray Jersey .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. http://www.yankeesrookiestore.com/Yankees-Jorge-Posada-Kids-Jersey/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Babe Ruth Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Clint Frazier Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap.ST. LOUIS -- For the second time since the All-Star break, Francisco Liriano had dazzling stuff against St. Louis. The lefty shook off the worst outing of his career and saved the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen, too. "It was important because every game counts, especially after last night," Liriano said after throwing a four-hitter in a 5-1 victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday night. "It was a tough game last night and we had to put that one behind us and come ready to play." Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones homered for the Pirates, who snapped a season-worst four-game losing streak and took a three-game lead in the NL Central. The Pirates had a five-run cushion after four innings against rookie Shelby Miller, who didnt miss a turn five days after getting drilled on the elbow and lasting just two pitches against the Dodgers. Theyre 8-4 against the Cardinals heading into the series finale matching starters A.J. Burnett and Lance Lynn. "You give up five runs, you just get outpitched," Miller said. "I mean, its simple. I didnt do very good." Pittsburgh totalled just 10 runs during the losing streak and won in 2 hours, 30 minutes one night after losing 4-3 in 14 innings in a game that lasted 4:55. Pirates relievers worked eight innings Wednesday. Starling Marte was the goat in that loss after dropping a routine fly ball that would have been the second out in the ninth. He contributed a two-run double. "Everybody tried to help me," Marte said. "What happened last night, I was feeling bad and somebody told me to keep my head up and play." Liriano (13-5) struck out six and needed just 94 pitches and is 3-0 in his career against St. Louis. His last time out, the lefty was punished for 10 runs in 2 1-3 innings at Colorado. Against the Rockies, Liriano said he had no control. He carved up the Cardinals. "That was the mulligan," manager Clint Hurdle said. "What weve seen all year, hes just given us chances to win. Hes pitched deep into games, hes mixed pitches, hes really been in command when runners get on base." Matt Carpenter doubled and eveentually scored on a groundout by Carlos Beltran in the ninth to snap Lirianos shutout bid.ddddddddddddHe settled for his second complete game of the year and third of his career. "You couldnt really tell what was coming out of his hand," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "You could tell he had late life by the way the guys were reacting." Alvarez hit his 29th homer an estimated 440 feet to straightaway centre leading off the second against Miller (11-8), and with one out Jones lined his 11th over the right field wall estimated at 392 feet. Martes hit capped a three-run fourth, with two of the runs unearned due to a fielding error by third baseman David Freese. Miller gave up two homers for the fourth time and has lost all of those starts, twice against Pittsburgh. In six innings, he gave up five runs, three earned, on eight hits. Liriano retired the side in order six times, twice with the help of double plays. A third double play helped him escape without damage in the second when the Cardinals got two of their hits. In the three starts prior to his clunker at Colorado, Liriano allowed one earned run over 21 2-3 innings in winning three straight starts. The Cardinals are 3-6 with one game to go on a 10-game homestand that began with series losses to the Cubs and Dodgers. Michael Wacha, one of St. Louis top pitching prospects, made his first career relief appearance and struck out four in two scoreless innings. Notes: The Pirates have outscored the Cardinals 14-2 in Lirianos two starts this year. ... Tabata missed his second straight start but entered as a defensive replacement in right field in the eighth. He was scratched with flu-like symptoms Tuesday. ... The Cardinals left a season-high 17 runners on base Tuesday night. ... Matt Holliday has 17 hits during an 11-game hitting streak but also grounded into his major league-leading 27th double play. He also lined into a twin killing in the fourth. ... Nine of the homers off Miller have come with the bases empty. ... Alvarez has homered two of the last three games. He has 11 homers against the Cardinals in 46 career games. ' ' '