By Alan Carasso
A well-matched field of nine juvenile males will try to get their picture taken in Sunday's GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. (ex Generous S.) at Del Mar and a slight edge goes to Mr. & Mrs. William Warren Jr.'s Hootie (Candy Ride {Arg}), who looks to remain perfect in two tries and continue an excellent weekend for his sire.
A $105,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $300,000 OBS March 2-Year-Old purchase, Hootie was brought along patiently by former Todd Pletcher assistant Michael McCarthy and was a 9-1 shot in his Oct. 1 unveiling at Santa Anita. Far back and wide on the course down the backstretch, things didn't look particularly good for the colt on the final turn, but despite covering extra ground–30 feet more than the runner-up per Trakus data–he worked home well for a half-length success. Hootie is bred on the same cross responsible for Friday's GI Clark H. hero Gun Runner.
Curly's Waterfront (More Than Ready) was adding blinkers for the first day in the Oct. 1 opener, but had to deal with the 11 hole in the field of 12. Nevertheless, the chestnut raced prominently and although his final time was 0.38 slower than that of Hootie's in race five, he finished with a bit more gusto. He was most recently fourth in a first-level allowance back on the main to Hot Sean (Flatter), who returned to be second in the GIII Delta Downs Jackpot S. Nov. 20.
Conscripted (Biondetti) was dismissed at 21-1 for her career debut at Santa Anita Oct. 30 and was pinched back between rivals at the break, then settled in a detached last of eight. Alex Solis went for a two-path run on the second turn, angled out sharply in upper stretch and got Conscripted's nose down on the line first for a barn not known for its work with its debutants.
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