Wharton

'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker) looks to make amends after finishing second as the heavy favorite last out in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. as the people's choice once again in Sunday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. A dominant second-out graduate at this oval in October, the bay captured the GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Nov. 14 and was run down late and forced to settle for second last out at Los Al Dec. 11. His Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert also saddles Wharton (Candy...

Though he was a bit chilly on the board for a Bob Baffert-trained, John Velazquez-ridden, $475,000 KEESEP buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}--Her Smile, by Include) earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom all the same Friday as he left a highly regarded second timer in his wake at Santa Anita. Stablemate McLaren Vale (Gun Runner) had taken the first of split sprint divisions two races earlier by a length in 1:17.81, but this looked like the stronger group on paper, in large part due to...