By Christina Bossinakis
In her first start since a 33% share of her sold for $330,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midsummer Flash Sale, Agave Racing Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy) extended her record to a perfect four-for-four with a confident victory in Saturday's GI Del Mar Oaks.
Breaking from Post 1, the 3-1 second choice went to the fore with the leading group, carving out an opening quarter in sensible :24.20. Umberto Rispoli aboard recent Christiana Stakes winner Whiskey Decision (Into Mischief) decided the early pace was far too slow and rushed to the front, opening a slight advantage through a :48.10 half mile. Passing the 3/8ths pole, however, Hector Berrios drew his mount off the rail, taking her outside of the favorite and reemerging as the leader turning for home. confidently ridden from there, Iscreamuscream was challenged briefly by GIII Providencia Stakes winner Medoro (Honor Code), but had more than enough left in the tank to collect her first Grade I victory by 1 1/2 lengths. Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) rounded out the trifecta.
“When I felt Rispoli behind me I thought 'Okay, let him go to the lead while I pick up second,' said Berrios. “I know she had the speed but I wanted to stay behind. She was strong. She went very comfortably in second, and when I asked her to move, she responded. Today, before taking the lead she looked around, she was aware of the other fillies. She is a very, very good filly.”
Winning trainer Phil D'Amato added, “Hector [Berrios] didn't push the button early. He stayed patient and circled around that other filly and re-engaged. I thought at the quarter pole when he got head-and-head with the favorite he still looked like he had a lot of horse left. I was just hoping she'd draw off and she did. It's a testament to Hector. He gets along with this filly very well and keeps her energy level up at all times and she's able to finish the way she does. That'll win you a lot of races.”
Iscreamuscream won her sole start at two, taking a six-furlong test at Santa Anita in October. Favored for her next start in an optional claimer over that course and trip, the dark bay ran off to a 3 1/2-length victory June 13 before completing the hattrick in the GII San Clemente Handicap going a mile at this venue July 20.
Bred by Hunter Rankin and Walker Hancock, the 3-year-old is campaigned by Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing, John Hundley, Jr., Marsha Naify and John and Stacey Snyder.
Pedigree Notes:
When Iscreamuscream won the Del Mar Oaks, she contributed to the outsized success Twirling Candy has enjoyed with his runners at the seaside oval. Four of his nine Grade I winners have found elite achievement at Del Mar: Pinehurst in the GI Del Mar Futurity, Beyond Brilliant in the GI Hollywood Derby, Collusion Illusion in the GI Bing Crosby Stakes, and now Iscreamuscream. Overall, the Lane's End sire and son of Candy Ride (Arg) has 21 graded winners and 52 black-type winners.
Iscreamuscream is one of the 111 stakes winners out of Cozzene mares.
Her 2-year-old colt, Farasi (Global Campaign), is a winner in Mexico. Silver Screamer's last two foals died at birth and she aborted her most recent cover.–Jill Williams
Silver Screamer, dam of Iscreamuscream, could count the 2012 GIII Eatontown Handicap at Monmouth Park amongst her seven wins when she was retired in 2013. Just 10 days after her last race on Independence Day of 2013, she was hammered to River Bend Farm for $250,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Summer Selected Horses Of Racing Age Sale.
At the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, she was sold to Upson Downs Farm with Iscreamuscream in utero for $27,000. She returned to the same sale the next year while in foal to Global Campaign where she was purchased by Pillar Property Services for $12,000.
As a yearling, Iscreamuscream was entered in the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling sale and went to Pro Racing Stable for $55,000. Last year, she found herself at the Ocala March Sale Of Two-Year-Olds In Training and was bought by her current co-owners Little Red Feather Racing for $145,000.
After her first two wins, including the GII San Clemente Handicap July 20 here, she was offered for sale again. On Aug. 1, she was one of two lots offered in Fasig-Tipton's Midsummer Flash Sale. Mark Martinez's Agave Racing purchased her on that occasion for $330,000.–Bob Nastanovich
ISCREAMUSCREAM ($8.40) 🍨 served up a delicious win in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1)! The undefeated filly is by @LanesEndFarms' Twirling Candy. @HIBerrios was in the irons for trainer @PhilDamato11. Congrats to all the partners! 🏆@lrfracing pic.twitter.com/uaeLjiQjOn
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 18, 2024
Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR OAKS PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SALES-GI, $301,500, Del Mar, 8-17, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.06, fm.
1–ISCREAMUSCREAM, 122, f, 3, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Silver Screamer (GSW, $314,245),
by Cozzene
2nd Dam: West Sider, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Fariedah, by Topsider
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($9,000 RNA Wlg '21 KEENOV; $55,000 Ylg
'22 KEESEP; $145,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR; $330,000 3yo '24
FTMIDS). O-Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing,
John Hundley, Jr., Marsha Naify, John Snyder and Stacey
Snyder; B-Hunter Rankin & Walker Hancock (KY); T-Philip
D'Amato; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $180,000. Lifetime Record:
4-4-0-0, $369,600. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Medoro, 122, f, 3, by Honor Code
1st Dam: Achira (MSP, $151,852), by English Channel
2nd Dam: Styler, by Holy Bull
3rd Dam: Set Them Free, by Stop the Music
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Parks Investment
Group, LLC (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $60,000.
3–Zona Verde (Ire), 122, f, 3, by Calyx (GB)
1st Dam: Namibie (GB), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mambia (GB), by Aldebaran
3rd Dam: Algoa (Fr), by Common Grounds (GB)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (30,000gns RNA Ylg '22 TATOCT).
O-Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and
Michael Nentwig; B-Knockainey Stud (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato.
$36,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 3.20, 4.50, 11.70.
Also Ran: Buchu, Sakura Blossom, Whiskey Decision, Circle of Trust, Sea Dancer.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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