Dismissed at 52-1, Candy Raid roared to lead in early stretch and spurted away to capture the $250,000 Bourbonette Oaks Saturday at Turfway Park.
The daughter of Candy Ride relaxed in last place in the field of 12 as dueling front-runners Let's Be Clear and Schlofmitz set the early pace. After a sweeping move into contention, Candy Raid grabbed the lead just past the quarter pole and coasted clear under Rafael Bejarano, winning by 4 1/2 lengths.
Candy Raid covered 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic main track in 1.42.96 while notching her first stakes win.
Catiche was second, and Tap Dancing Lady was third. Sandstone, the 8-5 favorite, finished seventh.
The race for 3-year-old fillies offers Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers.
Based at Fair Grounds over the winner, Candy Raid shipped to Delta Downs to win in allowance company Dec. 31 for the first time, then returned to the New Orleans track where she was unplaced in two stakes: a fourth in the listed Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 22 and then eighth in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) Feb. 19. Ready to run Saturday, she won in a big way for trainer Keith Desormeaux, who also co-owns the filly with Don't Tell My Wife Stables, returning $106.
Candy Raid, who has won three of 10 career starts, was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. Her dam is the First Samurai mare Lady Samuri. A 2020 Keeneland September yearling in the Denali Sales consignment, she sold for $35,000 to Don't Tell My Wife Stables.
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