Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Candied (f, 2, Candy Ride {Arg}–Toni Tools, by Roaring Fever), a 3/4-length, come-from-behind debut winner sprinting at Saratoga Aug. 20, stayed perfect while stretching to two turns in Friday's 'Win and You're In' GI Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland.
The 4-1 chance raced in between horses rounding the clubhouse turn in fifth. She advanced into fourth approaching the quarter pole, made a flashy, sweeping move at the top of the stretch, and, despite hanging on her left lead down the stretch, went on to defeat favored runaway GIII Pocahontas S. heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' V V's Dream (Mitole) by a length. Alys Beach (Omaha Beach) was third.
Previously unbeaten GI Spinaway S. heroine Brightwork (Outwork), off as the 9-5 second choice, tired to finish a well-beaten fifth after pressing the pace while making her two-turn debut here.
“That was my biggest concern,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said of Candied diving into the deep end at just second asking here. “I thought the filly had the talent to do it. I was just concerned about the seasoning. Several of the fillies in here that we had to beat today had good, solid campaigns and she was just making her second start.”
Pletcher continued, “But I'll tell you, she trained impressively before her debut and she then just kept getting better afterwards. She was finishing her works and galloping out like she wanted more ground. Luis (Saez) has been pretty high on her since he first worked her at Saratoga, so we're happy to see her meet expectations.”
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Pletcher will also be well-represented by 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at Keeneland.
Pedigree Notes:
Candied becomes the 115th stakes winner/56th graded stakes/19th Grade I winner worldwide for Candy Ride. The stakes-winning New York-bred Toni Tools, a $15,000 purchase by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock at the 2022 KEEJAN sale, produced a colt by Solomini this year and was bred back to Mind Control.
#3 Candied takes the G1 Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland for trainer Todd Pletcher with @luissaezpty aboard! 🍭🍬
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/d4ZHAjxKSY
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 6, 2023
Friday, Keeneland
DARLEY ALCIBIADES S.-GI, $600,000, Keeneland, 10-6, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.17, ft.
1–CANDIED, 122, f, 2, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Toni Tools (SW, $193,339),
by Roaring Fever
2nd Dam: Patine, by Smart Strike
3rd Dam: Burnish, by Menifee
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE
I WIN. ($165,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners; B-Buck Pond Farm, Inc. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher;
J-Luis Saez. $358,050. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $415,800.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–V V's Dream, 122, f, 2, by Mitole
1st Dam: Quay, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Skipper Tale, by Tale of the Cat
3rd Dam: Pretty 'n Smart, by Beau Genius
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($130,000 Wlg '21
KEENOV; $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-MJM Racing and
Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek); B-Mark Stansell (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $115,500.
3–Alys Beach, 122, f, 2, by Omaha Beach
1st Dam: Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: C J's Leelee, by Mizzen Mast
3rd Dam: Fight to Love, by Fit to Fight
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($120,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Greg Tramontin; B-Jeff
Kerber (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss. $57,750.
Margins: 1, 5 3/4, HD. Odds: 4.08, 1.48, 16.30.
Also Ran: Shimmering Allure, Brightwork, Crazy Cami, Alpine Princess, Wine On Tap. Scratched: Emery.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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