8th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 10-3, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.68, fm, 2 lengths.
CANDY QUEST (f, 2, Connect–Candy Crush, by Candy Ride {Arg}), a $225,000 Keeneland September yearling who was the priciest of her sire's 31 yearlings reported as sold in 2023 (43 ring), set her sights on heavily favored Tam I Am (Authentic) entering the final eighth of a mile and kicked past with relative ease to graduate in very professional fashion at first asking Thursday afternoon. Live on the board at 9-2 from a 5-1 morning line, the dark bay took a sit from off the pace as fellow firster So Darn Pretty (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) came across from her widest post and outsprinted the more experienced Tam I Am, who was wisely taken off the fence to do the chasing from second. Candy Quest–who worked a half-mile on the Belmont training track in :46 4/5 (2/151) Sept. 22–traveled in behind the leading duo into the stretch, but Tam I Am had first crack at the pacesetter and wrested command approaching the furlong pole. Candy Quest had the move covered, however, as she was switched out by Dylan Davis and motored home for a good-looking victory. A half-sister to Take a Stand (Will Take Charge), GSP, $365,313; and to Frosted Over (Frosted), Ch. 3yo Colt-Can, MGSW, $310,194, the winner is out of a half-sister to SW & MGSP Seruni (Saint Liam), GSW English Affair (English Channel) , SW Roman Emperor (Empire Maker), MGSP Doc Cheney (Saint Ballado) and GSP Liberated (Curlin). Candy Crush delivered a Maxfield colt in 2023, a Flightline filly this year and was bred back to Authentic. Sales history: $225,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Glassman Racing; B-G Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Mark E Casse.
CANDY QUEST 🍬 The 2YO daughter of @LanesEndFarms stallion Connect, breaks her maiden in the finale under @DavisJockey for trainer @markecasse. pic.twitter.com/vp7yns6PC0
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) October 3, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.