It's not easy to live in Life Is Good's shadow, but his half-brother has been eking out a name for himself one photo finish at a time, and his most recent exploits had him in view all alone at the line.
It was a battle down the lane, but Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}–Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor) would not be denied en route to securing his first graded black-type in the GIII Oklahoma Derby.
Undefeated in his career by a grand total of less than two lengths, the West colorbearer won first out June 21 beneath the Twin Spires by a neck after closing from midpack, and then held strong over a field of allowance competition July 21 at Ellis Park to win by three-quarters of a length. He was last seen on the fortuitous end of a photo in the Listed Ellis Park Derby Aug. 11, where he got his nose down in the shadow of the wire.
Crowned the 4-5 favorite and in a familiar spot as he pressed the pace initially set by Indispensable (Constitution), the top pair sailed along through :23.60, :47.48, and 1:11.30 splits while being all but attached at the hip. Launching a long drive to put that rival away, he was momentarily overtaken in the lane by E J Won the Cup (Omaha Beach), but found his second wind late to battle back to a length margin on the wire. Indispensable just missed second in a photo.
“It was his first time [racing] under the lights, first time shipping this far, first time around two turns,” said rider Florent Geroux, who was picking up his second win in the race since guiding Owendale into the winner's enclosure for trainer Brad Cox in 2019. “[Most Wanted] had a lot to think about. He is going to be a very interesting horse moving forward.”
#6 MOST WANTED ($3.60) fights back to win the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3), giving @flothejock and @bradcoxracing the @RemingtonPark Oaks-Derby double.
The three-year-old colt by @LanesEndFarms' Candy Ride is undefeated in four starts. pic.twitter.com/EfSAA7Iq0Y
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 30, 2024
Pedigree Note:
Kin to the aforementioned 'TDN Rising Star', Most Wanted hails from a busy female family. While his dam was only placed in her career, and her greatest works coming as a broodmare, she is herself a daughter of the multiple Grade I-placed Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft). That second dam can claim her own fleet of accomplished siblings, as her multiple Grade I-winning half-sister Diamondrella (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) tallies a group winner in Australia to her broodmare record, and their half-brother Highest Honors (Tapit) was three-times graded placed in his career.
An unraced half-sister to that group produced GI La Brea Stakes-placed Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) and another still can claim GSW Nikkis Smartypants (Smarty Jones) to her list of accolades.
Beach Walk's most recent offspring include a 2-year-old full-brother to Life Is Good named Lifes Reward (Into Mischief) and two full-sisters–a yearling and a 2024 filly. Their dam went to Gun Runner for 2025.
Sunday, Remington Park
OKLAHOMA DERBY-GIII, $400,000, Remington, 9-29, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.46, ft.
1–MOST WANTED, 124, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Bonnie Blue Flag, by Mineshaft
3rd Dam: Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $519,553. *1/2 to Life Is Good (Into Mischief), Hwt. Older Horse-UAE- at 9 1/2 – 11 f., MGISW, $4,541,700. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–E J Won the Cup, 124, c, 3, Omaha Beach–Firsthand Report, by Blame. ($150,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $95,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Superfecta King Stable (Margolis); B-Hoolie Racing Stable, LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $80,000.
3–Indispensable, 124, c, 3, Constitution–High Performer, by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($330,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $825,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Talla Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and Barker, Edwin S.; B-Nursery Place, Donaldson & Broadbent (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $44,000.
Margins: 1, HD, 9 1/4. Odds: 0.80, 2.00, 7.10.
Also Ran: Dimatic, Flat Hanby, Mena. Scratched: Canada Gate, Society Man.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
