SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Twirling Candy has taken two shots at sate-bred stakes company at Saratoga Race Course — a third-place finish in the off-the-turf Kingston Stakes on June 9 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festiva and a fourth-place effort in the Albany during the 2023 Spa meeting. His connections hope the third time will be the charm in today’s $125,000 Evan Shipman, a one-mile handicap out of the Wilson Chute for 3-year-olds and up.
Trained by Mike Maker, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy colt stalked the pace last out in the one-mile Kingston after bobbling at the break. He made a wide move down the stretch and finished a neck short of second place to Disarmed, but both were some five-lengths behind the victorious Spirit of St Louis.
“It was a sloppy track last time. He probably didn’t like it too much. I prefer a fast track for him. We were hoping it would come off — and it did — but still to no avail for us. He ran a good race against a good horse,” Maker said.
Maker’s Candy, winner of the state-bred Mike Lee, is one of two horses in the field with experience out of the Wilson Chute and has a field-best 100 Beyer at the one-mile distance. He carries a record of 5-2-2 from 15 starts with $368,410 in earnings and is 4-for-8 at the distance with three other on-the-board finishes. Maker’s Candy (7-2 morning line) will break from post 5 carrying 121 pounds under Luis Saez.
Robert S. Evans’ Drake’s Passage, who was off the board in the Whitney Day finale, finished a valiant third to Next in the Grade 2 Brooklyn on July 5 at Belmont at the Big A. That was the colt’s first attempt at open stakes company.
Before that effort, the 4-year-old Christophe Clement trainee won the 1 1/8-mile Commentator for New York-breds by four lengths in a hand ride during the Belmont Festival over a muddy track, matching his career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99. Clement said he was pleased with the effort in the Brooklyn.
“We took on a big task the other day running against Next, but he ran a gallant race in defeat,” Clement said.
Clement trained the sire of Drake’s Passage, Tonalist, for Mr. Evans to a Grade 1 Belmont Stakes win and two Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cups and the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.
“He is a very neat horse. He was bred by Mr. Robert Evans, who we campaigned Tonalist for, and Drake’s Passage is the closest resemblance to Tonalist in terms of his offspring, so it is very fun,” Clement said.
Drake’s Passage (3-1), assigned 126 pounds, will exit post 3 with Manny Franco up.
Donegal Surges, a 4-year-old colt for Donegal Racing conditioned by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, looks to step up from his last effort when second to Drake’s Passage in the Commentator. The son of Candy Ride sat just behind Drake’s Passage throughout, sitting as close as a half-length back, but the distance between the two rivals only widened and he was ultimately beaten four lengths in the end.
Donegal Surges (5-2) missed his 3-year-old campaign but has strung together five races this year dating to January, going 2-0-1 with his two wins coming in state-bred allowance company. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will have the mount from post 1 carrying 123 pounds.
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart will send out Ten Strike Racing’s homebred stakes winner Whittington Park (post 6, Kendrick Carmouche, 6-1). The 5-year-old Midnight Lute horse was third in the Commentator last out.
Rounding out the field is LSU Stable’s Bank Frenzy (post 4, Flavien Prat, 7-2) for trainer Rudy Rodriguez and the Linda Rice trainee Sheriff Bianco (post 2, Jose Ortiz, 9-2) for owner A. Bianco Holding Limited. Sheriff Bianco was cross-entered in Thursday’s John Morrissey.
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Cant Hurry Love looks formidable in Union Avenue
Dual stakes-winner Kant Hurry Love will look to avenge a runner-up effort in last year’s Union Avenue when taking on six rivals in this year’s edition of the six-furlong handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
Trained by David Duggan, the daughter of Kantharos was last seen taking the Dancin Renee sprinting this distance on June 23 at Belmont at the Big A with a gate-to-wire trip under regular rider Trevor McCarthy. She was met with a late bid from former stablemate and returning rival Leeloo but battled back gamely to win by three quarter-lengths. The effort garnered a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She’s doing well,” said Duggan. “There’s been no glitches since her last race, so we just hope we hold our form and come back out swinging again. She always shows up. Leeloo is probably itching to get back at us, but she (Kant Hurry Love) throws it down every time.”
Her last-out win added to an additional stakes victory in last year’s Dancin Renee when besting Grannys Connection by a nose at Belmont Park. That same rival would come back to best her by 2 1/2 lengths in last year’s Union Avenue.
Bred by Dr. John M. McDermott and Laura G. McDermott, Kant Hurry Love boasts four additional stakes placings, including two against open company. She was assigned a field-high 124 pounds and will exit the outermost post 7 with McCarthy aboard as the 2-1 second choice on the morning line.
Kingsport Farm’s Leeloo (post 4, Jose Ortiz, 9-5 morning-line favorite) challenges her familiar foe again on the heels of their last meeting in the Dancin Renee. Trained by Ignacio Correas, IV, Leeloo has hit the board five times from eight starts since being transferred back to her current conditioner last summer.
Bred by Sequel Stallions NY and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Leeloo won an open optional claimer in February at the Big A ahead of two close fourths against open stakes company in the Matron in March at Oaklawn Park and Grade 3 Winning Colors in May at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Phil Serpe saddles two talented contenders in the stakes-winning Security Code (post 2, Jose Lezcano, 8-1) and stakes-placed Cousin Kristi ([post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr. 5-1).
Security Code enters off a fifth-place finish in the Dancin Renee after a five-wide trip and makes her fourth consecutive outing in state-bred stakes company. She broke through in the first of those starts with a neck score over multiple graded stakes-placed Venti Valentine in the seven-furlong Broadway in February at the Big A ahead of a fourth in the one-mile Biogio’s Rose.
Bred by Rockridge Stud, Ascendant Farms, and Godolphin, Security Code boasts a 5-5-5 record from 21 starts with $430,040 in earnings.
CJ Thoroughbreds and RAF Productions’ Cousin Kristi was a prominent second against open company last out in Gulfstream Park’s 6 1/2-furlong Musical Romance Handicap on June 29. There, she tracked a close second in the early stages and had a head lead at the stretch call but could not fend off Bluefield and settled for place 3 1/2 lengths back.
Bred by Very Un Stable, the daughter of Kantharos seeks her first win for Serpe since transferring to his care this winter, her best finish since coming with a neck defeat to Bluefield in a six-furlong optional claimer in May at Gulfstream.
Cara’s Time (post 5, Eric Cancel, 7-2) looks for her second stakes win after taking the state-bred seven-furlong Joseph A. Gimma in September at Belmont at the Big A. Trained by Mitch Friedman, the Not This Time gray was a good third last out against open company in a local first-level allowance on July 19, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind Princess Madison.
Completing the field are the multiple stakes-placed Captainsdaughter (post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 20-1) for conditioner Russell Cash and five-time winner Early Edition (post 6, Silvestre Gonzalez, 30-1) for trainer Stacy Machiz.
Originally Published: August 8, 2024 at 8:00 p.m.
Source link : https://www.oneidadispatch.com/2024/08/08/horse-racing-makers-candy-hoping-third-time-is-the-charm-at-saratoga-in-evan-shipman/
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Publish date : 2024-08-09 00:00:59
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