Twirling Candy

1st-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 4-14, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.94, ft, 2 3/4 lengths. SWEET CHERRY PIE (c, 3, Twirling Candy--Sweet Cat {MGSP, $232,950}, by Kitten's Joy) clearly had no qualms about facing older horses in just his second start off a troubled fourth-place debut at Gulfstream Park six weeks ago, checking in behind the highly regarded winner Scotland (Good Magic). Cutting back a furlong off his Florida debut at seven-eighths, the Kentucky-bred showed early speed right out of the gate and raced closest to the rail as he battled with Cape Trafalgar...

Exaulted didn't even try the turf until his 11th career start back on Jan. 2 but the 6-year-old has more than made up for lost time with his third straight win on the Santa Anita grass course, taking the GIII American S. Sunday. Entered off a pair of 93 Beyer Speed Figure efforts--a career high--against allowance and optional claiming company respectively, Exaulted earned 9-5 second choice honors for his first graded-stakes race since contesting the GII Triple Bend S. last May. Sent to the front after a sharp beginning from...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With plenty of activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its three-day run with increases in average and median over last year's two-session renewal and five juveniles selling for seven figures, led by a co-record $2-million son of Good Magic. "I thought it was a really good sale and it held strong all the way through," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "There were quality horses on each...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL-The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which had four million-dollar juveniles a year ago, has matched that mark with another day to go as a colt by Good Magic topped Tuesday's trade with a sale co-record final price of $2 million. Bob Baffert, sitting in the press box alongside Donato Lanni while on the phone with Amr Zedan, made the winning bid, which matched the $2-million price tag of Chestertown (Tapit), who sold at the auction in 2019. "It...

Sean Flanagan, who has been active throughout both sessions of the OBS March sale, made his biggest splash of the auction when going to $1 million to acquire a colt by Twirling Candy (hip 433) from the Eddie Woods consignment. The juvenile, who worked a furlong in :9 4/5 last week, is out of graded-placed Divine Dawn (Divine Park), a full-sister to graded stakes winner Divine Miss Grey. The Quarter Pole Enterprises pinhooking partnership acquired the gray colt for $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. Bloodstock agent Jeff Mackor...

1st-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 3-17, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.64, fm, nose. KALIK (c, 3, Collected--Coronation Street, by Street Cry {Ire}) began his career in a Sept. 16 Belmont at Big A maiden special over the main track which yielded 'TDN Rising Star' Signator (Tapit) and next-out winner Warman Road (Unified), finishing last in that field. The Triple Crown-nominated chestnut was moved to the turf and stretched out to 1 1/16 miles Oct. 23 at the venue, and came a much improved second to next-out stakes-winner Bat Flip (Good Magic). Opening his sophomore...

After an unsuccessful fifth behind GISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) on the dirt at Del Mar in November, Ag Bullet made the switch to the grass and immediately found success, posting a 3 1/2-length win Jan. 22 going 6 1/2 furlongs. Stretched out to one mile for the first time in Sunday's Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita, the gray broke as the narrow 2-1 second choice behind eventual runner-up The Wild Grazer and showed good early speed to contest the tempo up front. Jockey Frankie Dettori,...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Today we caught up with JCB Stables' Ezequiel Cesar Valle, who represents the aforementioned American branch of Haras Firmamento, one of the largest farms in Argentina. MAID OF HONOR (6, Medaglia d´Oro--Lovely Regina, by Deputy Minister), to be bred to Street Sense We bought five mares at the last Keeneland November Sale, and she was the...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Today we spoke with Carrie Brogden at Machmer Hall. We mate by physical mostly--negative traits to positive traits and vice versa. We try to add speed where there is none and we do not believe in like-to-like matings. We do not use nicks, but we do like successful crosses like Twirling Candy with Unbridled's Song. This...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Here's what Edwin Anthony of Shortleaf Stable had to say about their broodmare band for 2023. I subscribe to the same school of thought as pedigree gurus like Ken McLean, Alan Porter and Anne Peters when it comes to trying to concentrate the influence of the most effective foundation mares and families. My first job in...

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale moved into the first of two Book 3 sesssions Thursday with continued competitive bidding and figures through four days of the auction still tracking ahead of 2021 statistics. For the session, 248 head grossed $20,988,500. The average of $84,631 was up 6.7% from the opening session of the 2021 Book 3 section, while the median remained constant at $65,000. The session's buy-back rate was 26.63%. It was 23.64% a year ago. Jody Huckabay, bidding on...

Quality Road will lead the pack at the Lane's End stallion barn for the 2023 breeding season, standing for $200,000. Up from $150,000 in 2022, the 16-year-old is responsible for 2022 GI New York S. winner Bleecker Street, GII Rebel S. runner-up Ethereal Road, GI American Pharoah S. runner-up National Treasure, as well as three new 'TDN Rising Stars.' In the sales ring, he had seven yearlings bring seven figures at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, including the $2.5-million colt who topped the sale. At $75,000, the same fee he...