How Sweet it is to be First on Race Day says Danzig Candy and Team!
SAN FELIPE GRADE 2 STAKES RACE
Welcome to the party, Danzing Candy you have enough points to be a contender in the 142nd Kentucky Derby!
The Twirling Candy colt was unarmed until November of last year has emphatically announced his arrival on the Triple Crown scene by going wire to wire in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes run in California. He finished 2 lengths over the favorite Mor Spirit with a beautiful sunny day for racing on March 12th he flew down the back stretch with enough in the tank to finish strongly over the favorite.
A maiden winner at second asking in December and a mile allowance/optional claiming February, the colt owned by breeder Halo Farms, in partnership with Jim and Diane Bashor, set the pace with fractions of :22.96, :46.11, and 1:11.04 through six furlongs and shook off a challenge from Exaggerator in the final turn. Then in the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile dirt test, he comfortably held off a late run from Mor Spirit. Exaggerator finished another three-quarter lengths back in third.
With Mike Smith aboard, Danzing Candy ran a mile in 1:36.38 and finished up in 1:43.04 for trainer Cliff Sise Jr. Although he had a comfortable lead throughout, Smith preempted criticisms that his colt got away with an easy front-running trip. "He didn't get away with anything," the jockey said. "If you go :22 on this track today, you're smokin'. And for him to hold off the caliber of horses he held off—(that) was very impressive." Trainer Cliff Sise Jr. said, "He's three-for-three on this track, why would we change now? I don't see any reason to, but you never know. You've got to leave that up to the owners." "He ran well," Baffert said. "That horse that won is a pretty good horse. ... He's coming on. A mile and an eighth will be more to his liking, but he got a lot out of it today."
SANTA ANITA DERBY GRADE 1 STAKES RACE
Danzing Candy was bred in Kentucky, out of the Songandaprayer mare Talkin and Singing, and now has a 3-0-0 record from five starts with earnings of $308,650.
Danzing Candy blazed in the early running—ticking off fractions of :22.15, :45.24 and 1:10.11 through six furlongs—and tired in the stretch to come in fourth, 4 3/4 lengths behind Uncle Lino.
"I was hoping he'd really take to the mud," said jockey Mike Smith, who rode Danzing Candy. "To be honest with you, as long as I had him up underneath me, he was OK, but as soon as I had to let up and run along, I felt like I was on roller skates out there. He just didn't grab quite a hold of it the way we hoped."
Danzing Candy clearly dod not like the sloppy California track and did not like the way Exaggerator went past him he seemed to throw in the towel down the stretch but I think if he takes to the track at Churchill downs and the track stays dry he will set the pace and be the one to beat at the wire.
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