By Brian DiDonato
Though he was a bit chilly on the board for a Bob Baffert-trained, John Velazquez-ridden, $475,000 KEESEP buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}–Her Smile, by Include) earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom all the same Friday as he left a highly regarded second timer in his wake at Santa Anita. Stablemate McLaren Vale (Gun Runner) had taken the first of split sprint divisions two races earlier by a length in 1:17.81, but this looked like the stronger group on paper, in large part due to the presence of odds-on Got Thunder (Arrogate), the $750,000 OBSAPR grad who was second on debut at Del Mar to another Avengers representative and GIII Sham S. entrant Newgrange (Violence). Off as the 4-1 second choice with teammate Armagnac (Quality Road) given a 5-1 chance, Wharton broke cleanly enough from the rail and stalked from the pocket with Got Thunder to his outside. Armagnac soon joined the chasing fray farther out, and Wharton poked a head in front in the vicinity of the 3/8 pole. Got Thunder tried to move to even terms with Wharton as they neared the straight, but Wharton lengthened his stride, found another gear and glided home a 5 1/4-length victor, stopping the clock in 1:17.52. Got Thunder held off Armagnac for second.
The winner is out of 2011 GI Prioress S. winner Her Smile (Include), who sold to KatieRich Farms for $1.5 million at the 2015 Keeneland November sale while carrying Pink Sands (Tapit), MGSW, $490,800. Her Smile's recent produce includes an Arrogate colt of 2020 and a More Than Ready filly of 2021. She was most recently bred to Justify.
6th-Santa Anita, $67,500, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.52, gd, 5 1/4 lengths.
WHARTON, c, 2, Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Her Smile (GISW, $462,314), by Include
2nd Dam: Hepburn, by Capote
3rd Dam: Favored Lady, by Fappiano
Sales history: $475,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $40,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson & Jay A. Schoenfarber; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
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