Sidney's Candy Freaks in Grassy La Jolla
The Craig Family Trust's Sidney's Candy, the 7-5 betting favorite, turned in a record-setting performance Saturday in romping to a brilliant triumph in the featured $150,000 La Jolla Handicap under jockey Joel Rosario.
Furthering his status as one of the top three-year-olds in America, Sidney's Candy dashed to the lead shortly after the break, was closely pressed by the speedy Macias, shook off that one in the middle of the far turn to open a commanding 13-length advantage in the upper stretch and cruised to the wire 5 1/2 lengths in front.
Sidney's Candy's time of 1:39.52 for the mile and one-sixteenth over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course bettered the course record of 1:39.67 set by Mea Domina four years ago in the Palomar Handicap.
Irish-bred Kid Edward, highly-regarded in the betting at 3-1, closed strongly to shade longshot Alphie's Bet by a half-length for second, with Summer Movie another 2 1/4 lengths back in fourth.
Sidney's Candy, winner of the Santa Anita Derby last winter but a disappointing 17th to Super Saver in the subsequent Kentucky Derby, earned $90,000 with his fifth success in nine starts. His earnings now total $803,560. As an indication of the Candy Ride colt's versatility, as a two-year-old last summer, he set a Polytrack record for 51/2 furlongs of 1:02.71 in breaking his maiden in his second start.
En route to his course record in the La Jolla 'Cap Saturday, the John Sadler-conditioned chestnut colt reeled off blazingly fast fractions of :23.10, :45.81, 1:08.91 and 1:33.09 for the mile.
Sidney's Candy returned $4.80, $3.40 and $3. Kid Edward paid $3.40 and $3.40, while third-place Alphie's Bet returned $5.20 to show.
The La Jolla Handicap is the final steppingstone to the $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sunday, Sept. 5. In addition to Sidney's Candy, Sadler also trains the winner of the opening-day Oceanside Stakes, the talented Twirling Candy, another son of Candy Ride also owned by the Craig Family Trust.
Sidney's Candy was the centerpiece of an unusual three-race sweep by sons of Candy Ride, the 2003 Pacific Classic winner. Clubhouse Ride won the eighth race for a $23.60 payoff, followed by Sidney's Candy in the La Jolla and culminating with Sugarinthemornings $16 upset in the tenth and final race.
Candy Ride stands at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky for a $25,000 stud fee.
Sidney's Candy provided Rosario with his lone winner of the afternoon, pulling him back into a 28-28 tie with Rafael Bejarano atop the Del Mar jockey standings. The latter had four winners.
For a second consecutive afternoon dominated by longshots, there were no perfect tickets in the Pick Six. Thus, Sunday's Del Mar program will feature a huge Pick Six carryover of $846,824.40. Post time for the first race will be 2 p.m., with the Pick Six conducted on races four through nine.