Yo Yo Candy (Danzing Candy), a distant third behind Gold Sweep (Speightstown) in the Tremont S. downstate June 11, pulled off a 46-1 shocker with blinkers added in Saturday's GIII Sanford S. at the 'Graveyard of Favorites.'
With the complexion of the race completely upside down after the aforementioned 1-5 favorite stumbled badly at the start, Yo Yo Candy found a good spot in a stalking third through fractions of :22.15 and :45.83. He was tipped out at the top of the stretch by Angel Castillo and kicked home nicely to score by 2 1/4 lengths. Gold Sweep, the recipient of a gaudy 91 Beyer for his nine-length Tremont romp, ran a remarkable race to close from second-to-last to complete the exacta.
Yo Yo Candy debuted with a three-length victory going 4 1/2 furlongs at Parx May 23 prior to his effort at 26-1 in the Tremont.
“I jumped from the balcony over here,” winning trainer Danny Velazquez said after winning his second career graded stakes race. “I don't even know how I got here. This is a dream come true. As a kid you dream of winning races here and here I am.”
He continued, “The blinkers adjustment was huge. In his last race, we didn't have the blinkers because he won first time out and we were happy with that. I watched him break last time and he broke a little sluggish. He has more speed than that tactically. I added the blinkers and took him back to the gate a couple of times after the race. I told Angel [Castillo], 'If he's as good as we think he is, we're going to be competitive.' No respect on the board, but we knew coming in that we did everything right coming into this race. I was very, very satisfied watching him out there warm up.”
Velazquez added that the GI Hopeful S. Sept. 4 at Saratoga could be next.
Pedigree Notes:
The California-bred Yo Yo Candy, a $35,000 OBS March breezer (:10 1/5), becomes the first graded and second stakes winner for young sire Danzing Candy. His SW & GISP dam Yolanda B. Too (Two Punch), just a $14,000 purchase by breeder Checkmate Thoroughbreds at the 2015 KEENOV sale, is also responsible for a Danzing Candy colt of 2022 and a Sir Prancealot (Ire) colt of this year. She was bred to Eight Rings for 2024.
Saturday, Saratoga
SANFORD S.-GIII, $175,000, Saratoga, 7-15, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.83, ft.
1–YO YO CANDY, 120, c, 2, by Danzing Candy
1st Dam: Yolanda B. Too (SW & GISP, $340,335), by Two Punch
2nd Dam: Avie's Lady, by Lord Avie
3rd Dam: Exotic Dancer, by Sovereign Dancer
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($6,000 Ylg '22 NCAAU; $35,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Happy Tenth Stable; B-Checkmate Thoroughbreds LLC (CA); T-Daniel Velazquez; J-Angel Castillo. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $141,250. *1/2 to Treble (Macho Uno), GSP, $306,169. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gold Sweep, 122, c, 2, Speightstown–Wonder Brew, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($285,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Mike McCarty; B-Joe Anzalone (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $35,000.
3–Dickens, 120, c, 2, Adios Charlie–Malibu Melody, by Malibu Moon. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Ylg '22 OBSWIN). O-BC Racing LLC; B-John B. Penn (FL); T-Juan Alvarado. $21,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 46.00, 0.35, 11.70.
Also Ran: Triple Trea, Call the Cavalry, Market Street, Jive,
His Rights, Ramming Speed. Scratched: Factor U and Me In.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#4 Yo Yo Candy gets blinkers and pulls off a big upset in the G3 Sanford S. at Saratoga at 46/1! 🏆💰
The 2-year-old colt is trained by Daniel Velazquez and was piloted by Angel Castillo.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/TtBD08Fvjj
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 15, 2023
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
