Danzing Candy Takes the San Felipe in Front Running Fashion
Jockey Mike Smith can add the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) to his long list of stakes races won as he sent the highly regarded Danzing Candy straight to the lead and never looked back. The son of Twirling Candy colt went wire to wire to score by 1 3/4 lengths over a late charging Mor Spirit giving Smith his first ever victory in this race.
Danzing Candy, a Halo Farms homebred owned in partnership with Jim and Diane Bashor, was away smartly from the two hole as he led the field of six in to the first turn with mild resistance from 30-1 longshot Uncle Lino. Uncle Lino settled in to second, with I Will Score in third. The early fractions were quick, 22.96 for the first quarter, and 46.11 for the half. As the sextet made their way in to the far turn it was clear that the race was Danzing Candy’s to lose.
Meanwhile, the favorite at 3-2 Mor Spirit, was off the rail in second to last about six lengths back and starting to make his move. With a little over a quarter mile to go, Mike Smith peaked over his shoulder and said let's go to Danzing Candy, as he saw Exaggerator make a bold move in between horses with Kent Desormeaux in the irons. Turning for home, Smith let out the reins and gave Danzing Candy a few left handed reminders in the lane to hold the late charging Mor Spirit at bay for the win.
Mor Spirit, the Bob Baffert trained runner, ran well late as he closed four lengths in the stretch to overtake Exaggerator by one length for second. Exaggerator, the 2-1 co second choice did not have the closing kick he needed and settled for third after that menacing move on the turn. The real disappointment of the race was the other 2-1 choice, the California-bred chestnut Smokey Image. The Carla Gaines trainee never got involved in the race, breaking cleanly at the start and wide in to the first turn, he finished up the track second to last.
Mike Smith talked after the race about his strategy with Danzing Candy saying, “He warmed up great, he was on his toes. Our game plan was to put him on the lead unless he didn’t jump out of there well. We didn’t want to experiment. We wanted to play our hand, right off the bat. Let’s go to the lead and if they want to go with us, we’ll be probably be going too fast and if that’s the case, that’s the case. We were going to worry about it next time. We did it. I left there very aggressive and he didn’t get away with anything. If you go twenty-two on this track today, you’re smokin’. And for him to hold off the caliber of horses he held off, was very impressive.”
Over the last 20 years the San Felipe has produced winners of Triple Crown races 20 times, and Cliff Sise the trainer of Danzing Candy, indicated after the race that the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9th will be next saying, “He left much better today. He’s good now. We’ll stay for the Santa Anita Derby. He’s three for three on this track. Why would we change now? I don’t see any reason to, but you never know. You’ve got to leave that up to the owners.”
Danzing Candy paid $13.00, $5.20, and $3.40. The final time of the race was 1:43.04. Danzing Candy also received 50 Road to the Kentucky Derby points, all but assuring him a spot in the gate on the first Saturday in May. There was a claim of foul by Fernando Perez who was aboard the fourth place Uncle Lino against the third place finisher Exaggerator and jockey Kent Desormeaux, but the stewards ruled that no action needed to be taken.