TDN RISING STARS

January 17, 2019 - Fair Grounds, Race 8, Msw, USD $38,000, 1M

Desert Ride, F, 3, 2016 by Candy Ride (Arg)

1st Dam: Fun in the Desert, by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Eye of the Sphynx, by Smart Strike
3rd Dam: Queen of Egypt, by Vice Regent

Owner: Sam-Son Farm
Breeder: Sam-Son Farm (ON)
Trainer: Neil Howard

Sam-Son firster Desert Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) produced a stunning turn of foot and sustained a 2 1/2-furlong rally to graduate at first asking Thursday at the Fair Grounds and become the afternoon’s second ‘TDN Rising Star.’ Only fairly away and void of any early speed thereafter, Desert Ride caboosed the field for the opening half-mile beneath Shaun Bridgmohan and raced unhurriedly into the second turn. Pulled out widest of all at the five-sixteenths marker, the bay filly jumped into the bridle and steamed down the center of the turf course to win by a widening margin in the finish. The final time was fractionally faster than that clocked by the 4-year-old Ruffina (Street Cry {Ire}) two races earlier. Desert Ride is the first foal for her dam, herself a debut winner and unplaced in stakes company in her lone subsequent appearance. Fun in the Desert is a daughter of Sam-Son’s Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Eye of the Sphynx (Smart Strike), who became the dam of 2009 Queen’s Plate hero and champion 3-year-old Eye of the Leopard (A.P. Indy), MSW & MGSP Hotep (A.P. Indy) and MGSW & GISP Deceptive Vision (A.P. Indy). Eye of the Sphynx’s SW half-sister Quiet Cleo (No Louder) was responsible for Sam-Son’s Canadian Horse of the Year Quiet Resolve (Affirmed). Fun in the Desert is represented by the 2-year-old filly Saturday Sun (Sky Mesa), a yearling full-brother to Desert Ride and was bred to both Kitten’s Joy and Ghostzapper last breeding season.