Hinkle-bred Air Combat (3c o/o Please Be Discreet) broke his maiden in his second start on July 15 with a Maiden Special Weight victory at Ellis Park.

Racing over six furlongs on dirt, the Gary and Mary West runner raced in second early on before taking over the lead around the far turn and started to draw away. The rest of the field was no match for the Blame son, who won by 3 ½ lengths with the third placed runner 6 ¾ lengths behind him.

Air Combat was a $130,000 purchase by the Wests through agent Ben Glass at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Hinkle consignment.

The colt is a half-brother to the stakes placed Hinkle Farms homebred Flatter Me Please with another of Please Be Discreet’s foals finishing fourth in the G3 Ebben with five of the mare’s six runners visiting the winner’s circle. Please Be Discreet herself is a half-sister to four stakes performers, led by multiple Grade 2 winner Tackleberry.