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Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card: No Risk, No Reward

A trio of graded stakes for 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail was contested on Feb. 6, and all three races – two of which offered 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the top four finishers – look more like steppingstones than definitive contests. Most of the horses contesting these races were unproven at the stakes level, but you have to start somewhere. No risk, no reward.

None of the weekend's races has been overly productive for Triple Crown success.

The Grade 3 Withers has been around since 1874, run at different New York tracks but only moved to February at Aqueduct in 2012. Before that, Bernardini used the Withers in 2006 as a tune-up for his victory in the G1 Preakness Stakes. No winner since has been victorious in a Triple Crown race.

The G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs has been a gateway race to bigger and better things for several horses in recent years. Most notably, Tapwrit, the Davis runner-up to McCraken in 2017, would win that year's G1 Belmont Stakes, doing one better than 2016 Davis winner Destin, who fell a nose short of Creator in the Belmont. Both Tapwrit and Destin were trained by Todd Pletcher.

Finally, the G2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita – the only one of the three races not offering Kentucky Derby points – has a solid roster of winners led by 1997 Kentucky Derby-Preakness victor Silver Charm and by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist. At seven furlongs, it's often used as a starting point for 3-year-olds getting ready to stretch out to longer distances.

Before we look at those three race winners, there was also a highly anticipated maiden event on Sunday at Santa Anita involving one of the most hyped horses of the year, Bezos, a colt by Empire Maker from the Bob Baffert stable. The massive colt, weighing in at over 1,300 pounds, was being compared to horses like Triple Crown winner Justify, who didn't make his first start until mid-February. Bezos had trained forwardly last year, from early May through late July. Baffert backed off until late in the year, with the colt breezing 10 times from early December until his debut, where he was made the 3-5 favorite.

Bezos, ridden by Mike Smith, got a perfect trip in the 6 ½-furlong race, sitting just behind dueling pacesetters for the opening half mile. But when the field turned for home, Bezos came up empty, winding up seventh of nine runners, beaten 15 ¼ lengths by a 20-1 longshot named Dream Shake, a Twirling Candy colt making his career debut for Peter Eurton.

Dream Shake is geared down nearing the wire by Joel Rosario

With Joel Rosario in the saddle, Dream Shake broke alertly from the outside post and remained wide throughout. Eighth after the opening quarter mile (in a slow :23.40), Dream Shake made a strong run from inside the half mile pole to the quarter pole that brought him into contention. He quickly moved to the lead while still wide, was under an aggressive hand ride from Rosario and got one tap of the whip in midstretch while pulling away. He was wrapped up in the end, winning by 4 ¾ lengths in 1:17.34 on a fast track and earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure that was higher than any of the weekend Triple Crown prep stakes winners.

Bred by Dunwoody Farm, Dream Shake was a $32,000 pinhook from the Keeneland September Yearling Sale that Cary Frommer sold for $75,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training. He races for Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman.

Now, on to the three stakes races. My Report Card grades are on an A to F scale and are subjective, based on my personal “eyeball test,” Beyer Speed Figures from Daily Racing Form, historical significance of the race and perceived quality of field.

Feb. 6 Withers Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct

Risk Taking was made the 19-10 favorite off a solid maiden win in his third career start on Dec. 13 going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct. Trainer Chad Brown debuted the Medaglia d'Oro colt sprinting at Belmont October 10 when he raced in seventh throughout. Next start was going 1 1/16 miles on turf, where Risk Taking was a non-threatening sixth. Blinkers were added for his maiden-breaking score and that seems to have awakened Risk Taking.

Risk Taking and Eric Cancel at the wire in the Withers

The Withers field included Capo Kane, the runaway winner of the one-turn Jerome Stakes (graded by me as a C-) on Jan. 1, and Jerome runner-up Eagle Orb. As expected, Capo Kane set the pace, with Eric Cancel keeping Risk Taking in a pocket while racing sixth in the early going. Approaching the far turn, Cancel found a seam and gradually began to gain on the leader, turning into the stretch less than three lengths behind, then ranging up alongside and passing the drifting out leader, Capo Kane, in the final furlong. Risk Taking drew off to win by 3 ¾ lengths, stopping the clock in 1:51.91 and getting an 89 Beyer Speed Figure, a big improvement from his maiden breaking 82 Beyer. Todd Pletcher-trained Overtook, a lumbering Curlin colt coming off a maiden win going one mile, was up for second after trailing early.

Neither the winner or the runner-up showed any early speed or quick acceleration, but both look like further distances would be no problem. There's probably a reason both Risk Taking and Overtook were left in New York for the winter rather than head to Florida where the waters are a little deeper for Triple Crown hopefuls.

From a pedigree standpoint, Risk Taking is by a proven stallion who has sired Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, the brilliant Songbird, and G1 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Talismanic. Risk Taking, bred by G. Watts Humphrey Jr., is out of the Distorted Humor mare Run a Risk and traces back to a very successful female family developed by Ogden Phipps, including fourth dam Con Game, who produced Seeking the Gold and Fast Play, and fifth dam Broadway, who produced Ruffian's sire Reviewer. Risk Taking was purchased on behalf of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables for $240,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Grade C

Feb. 6 Sam F. Davis Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Tampa Bay Downs

Todd Pletcher-trained Known Agenda was made the 3-2 favorite in the field of 12 in this 1 1/16-mile race, but 3-1 second choice Candy Man Rocket got the job done in workmanlike fashion in his first time around two turns for trainer Bill Mott. The Candy Ride colt, ridden by Junior Alvarado and owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, was one length the best over stablemate Nova Rags (by Union Rags), who had the benefit of a race over the track (winning the Pasco on Jan. 16 and getting a grade of D from me) but also making his two-turn debut.

The third-place finisher, Hidden Stash, gained 4 1/4 lengths on the winner in the final furlong, according to the Equibase chart, and visually did not appear to be accelerating as much as the winner was slowing down.

The final time of 1:44.30 came after a six-furlong clocking of 1:10.80 and mile split in 1:37.22, meaning a final sixteenth in 7.08 seconds and a final five-sixteenths in 33.50. The winner received a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, the same as his maiden win.

Candy Man Rocket and jockey Junior Alvarado winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes

My first thought after watching the Davis was that Bill Mott is not the kind of trainer who is going to try to pound a square peg into a round hole. Candy Man Rocket looked sensational sprinting to a 9 ¼-length victory at Gulfstream Park Jan. 9 in his second career start. He was good enough to win at 1 1/16 miles over a fairly weak field, but it's hard to make a case that he's going to get better as the races get longer. I would not be surprised to see this colt doing his best racing at seven furlongs to a mile in the spring and summer.

From a pedigree standpoint, Candy Ride has been very successful at stud and was a classic-distance winner himself. Like Risk Taking, the real quality in Candy Man Rocket's female family is in the fourth generation where you find 1983 Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee, dam of Althea and other stakes winners.

Grade C-

Feb. 6 San Vicente Stakes, seven furlongs, Santa Anita

Gary and Mary West's homebred Street Sense colt Concert Tour was favored at 2-5 but was all out to get by Bob Baffert stablemate Freedom Fighter (by Violence) to take down the winner's share of the $200,000 purse. The latter, away at 5-1 odds, set the early pace in a five-horse field, dueled with the quick California-bred gelding The Chosen Vron, then forgot to read the odds board as he continued to roll down the stretch, not giving way to Concert Tour until the very end, beaten a half length. That was Freedom Fighter's first start since winning his debut at Del Mar Aug. 1 at 1-2 odds, prevailing by a head in a five-furlong tilt.

Concert Tour (outside) overtakes Freedom Fighter in deep stretch to win the San Vicente

The winner also won his debut on Jan. 15 at even money, earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure (compared to Freedom Fighter's 79 last year).

Baffert has won this race 11 times since Silver Charm's victory in 1997 and said after Concert Tour's victory that he likes using it as a progression for horses like Nadal, the 2020 winner who then stretched out to two turns, taking both the G2 Rebel and a division of the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. Don't be surprised to see Concert Tour try a similar path, as Baffert's No. 1 Derby prospect, Life Is Good, will remain at Santa Anita to contest the G2 San Felipe Stakes on March 6.

Sire Street Sense was precocious enough to win the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at two and won four of eight starts at three, including the Kentucky Derby and G1 Travers at 1 ¼ miles. Concert Tour's dam, Purse Strings (by Tapit), wasn't the most successful racemare, not breaking her maiden until her 12^th career start and never racing again, but she appears to have produced a good one in Concert Tour.

Grade B

Coming up this Presidents' Day weekend are the G2 Risen Star from Fair Grounds on Saturday and Monday's G3 Southwest Stakes from Oaklawn.

Previously:

Feb 2 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan 26 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan. 18 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan. 3 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

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Fulfilling the Candy Ride Legacy at Lane’s End

Lane's End Farm brought their stallion roster up to 21 members this year as they welcomed several new additions for the 2021 season in Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), Gift Box (Twirling Candy), Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and Daredevil (More Than Ready).

We sat down with Bill Farish and spoke with him on Game Winner and Gift Box, both Grade I-winning millionaires who will join Twirling Candy and Unified in carrying on the Candy Ride (Arg) legacy at Lane's End.

Now a perennial leading general sire, Candy Ride began his career at Hill 'n' Dale in 2005 but soon moved to Lane's End, where his stud fee doubled to $25,000, in 2010.

Today, with 16 Grade I winners, six champions and a $75,000 stud fee, which was lowered from $100,000 in 2020 due to nationwide fee cuts, he sits on the cusp of passing on the baton to his sons and grandsons.

Six stallions by Candy Ride reside in Kentucky this year. Of those two are new for 2021, Game Winner and Vekoma, and only one has seen runners- four-time Grade I producer Twirling Candy. The remaining three, Gun Runner, Mastery and Unified, will all be represented by their first 2-year-olds this year.

“Candy Ride is really making a phenomenal sire of sires,” Farish said. “It's always neat to see a stallion take it to that level and become a sire of sires like we were able to see with A. P. Indy and others. It stamps their mark on the breed in a very significant way.”

Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), $30,000

Game Winner begins his career at stud as a $2 million earner, a Breeders' Cup and Eclipse champion, and a graded stakes winner at two and three.

Bred by Summer Wind Farm, the colt was the third and final foal out of Indyan Giving (A. P. Indy), who died shortly after his foaling. Game Winner's 7-year-old half-brother Flagstaff (Speightstown) is a Grade II winner still in training with John Sadler and their grand-dam Fleet Indian (Indian Charlie) is a champion older mare and dual Grade I winner.

A $110,000 Keeneland September buy for Ben Glass, agent for Gary and Mary West, Game Winner was sent to Bob Baffert and soon made a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut with a 5 3/4-length victory at Del Mar.

“I think he surprised Bob a little bit in his maiden win,” Farish said. “If I remember right, I don't think Bob thought he was that precocious for him to run as well as he did first time out.”

That precocity never wavered for the remainder of his undefeated juvenile season as the colt reeled off victories in the GI Del Mar Futurity, GI American Pharoah S. and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“At that point when he ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he was not necessarily coming to Lane's End,” Farish noted. “But we were very excited to see him run and hoping obviously for Candy Ride that he would run well. It was great to see him really follow through. It's a tough race usually for favorites and he really came in and put on a great performance.”

Game Winner's 2 1/4-length victory in the juvenile championship over a field that included eventual Grade I winners Knicks Go (Paynter) and Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), as well as 2018 GI Champagne S. winner Complexity (Maclean's Music), sealed his Eclipse title for champion 2-year-old colt.

“I think any horse that comes out as a 2-year-old and wins three straight Grade I races, you just don't see it very often,” Farish said. “Bob said in an interview that to bring it to that championship level is really special and in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he showed just how good he was.”

After a four-month layoff, the bay continued on his journey towards the Kentucky Derby in the GII Rebel S., finishing second by a nose to Omaha Beach (War Front), who would later claim three more Grade I wins that year. He again ran second in his next start in the GI Santa Anita Derby.

In the GI Kentucky Derby, Game Winner was forced to take a wide trip, but gained ground late to finish sixth, elevated later to fifth after the disqualification of Maximum Security (New Year's Day). His effort earned the best Thorograph figure of the field.

“In the Derby, he was always up against it,” Farish said. “He had a tough post and then his running style in a 19-horse field really made it difficult for him. If you go back and watch the race, it's a phenomenal move that he makes.”

The sophomore returned to California to win the GIII Los Alamitos Derby by five lengths that summer, but incurred a high suspensory injury soon after that prevented him from returning to the starting gate and he was subsequently retired.

Farish spoke on the new addition's reception in his first year at stud.

“His first book is shaping up to be really phenomenal for us,” he said. “A 150-mare book is a big book and he's going to be a little north of that in his first year. The West's are very supportive of all their sire prospects and they're breeding some very nice mares to him.”

Farish said that Game Winner's status as a juvenile champion has been one of the biggest attractions for breeders.

“In recent years, 2-year-old champions have had great success at stud with Nyquist, Uncle Mo, Street Sense and others. It's traditionally something farms look for, that 2-year-old precocity. It's not the only criteria, but it's certainly been very successful in recent years and there's no reason why it shouldn't help Game Winner in a big way.”

Additionally, Farish noted that the new addition's physical reflects the best of his sire.

“Game Winner is a little bit bigger version of Candy Ride,” he said. “He's a good, medium-sized horse, is really well conformed and physically, is everything you'd want in a sire prospect. So we can't wait to see his offspring running pretty soon.”

Gift Box (Twirling Candy), $10,000

Gift Box, the first grandson of Candy Ride to join the Lane's End roster, begins his stud career as a Grade I-winning millionaire.

“Gift Box is an exciting horse for us as well,” Farish said. “Being a son of Twirling Candy, it's really fun for us to have that three-generation history with the horse. He showed, from two and three and on, just how good he was.”

A $135,000 weanling purchase for the Farish family, the Machmer Hall-bred colt was sent to Chad Brown as a juvenile and won in his second start at two before placing in the GII Remsen S.

At three, Gift Box ran second in the Curlin S. behind stablemate and eventual studmate Connect (Curlin), and later ran fourth in the GI Travers S.

Transferred to the John Sadler barn towards the tail end of his 5-year-old season to be campaigned by Hronis Racing, the speedy gray defeated champion Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in the GII San Antonio S. before getting his Grade I win in the Santa Anita H., besting Grade I winners McKinzie (Street Sense) and Mongolian Groom (Hightail).

“He certainly had some big races all in a row in California,” Farish recalled. “We knew he had the ability, but to see it happen on that day was so important. It was amazing how high John Sadler was on him really from the time he got him and he lived up to that billing.”

Gift Box wrapped up his 6-year-old campaign with a second-place finish behind champion Vino Rosso (Curlin) in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita S. and a 3 3/4-length win in the GII San Antonio S.

In his five-year career, the son of Twirling Candy ran in the money in all but four of his 18 starts.

“Gift Box is interesting because we usually don't retire horses at that age,” Farish noted. “So I was kind of curious as to if anyone else had been that successful at that age and of course, Speightstown jumps right at you. To see the length of Speightstown's stud career and the impact he's had solved any trepidation I had with Gift Box.”

The new stallion is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Special Me who also produced dual Grade II winner and Grade I placed Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast) as well as Grade II winner Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}). The mare's most recent foal, a filly by Into Mischief named Gina Romantica, sold for $1.025 million to Liz Crow at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale.

“His pedigree is really exciting to me with Unbridled's Song on the bottom side,” Farish said. “With that comes speed and precocity, and I think that crossed with Candy Ride and Twirling Candy is pretty exciting to see how it plays out. He's a gorgeous physical with a lot of Unbridled's Song in him in the best sort of way. He's really beautifully conformed and we can't wait to see what his babies look like.”

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Candy Ride’s White Frost Much the Best in Sweetest Chant

Let go at a tempting 9-2, Gainesway Stables' homebred White Frost spent a good portion of Saturday's GIII Sweetest Chant S. hemmed away at the inside, but she saved her best for last, as she sprinted past pacesetting favorite Con Lima in the final furlong for a breakthrough graded stakes success.

Con Lima, exiting a front-running defeat of Honey Pants (Cairo Prince) in the course-and-distance Ginger Brew S. Jan. 2, hit the ground running and had things very much her own way on the engine, as White Frost settled three back on the fence with about five lengths to find down the backstretch. Racing tightly just to the inside of Tampa maiden winner Domain Expertise (Kitten's Joy) as they hit the half-mile pole, White Frost was full of run, as Junior Alvarado mulled over his options. Held together into the stretch, White Frost was asked to kick leaving the three-sixteenths and it was a telling burst, as she beat Domain Expertise to the punch and reeled in Con Lima with her powerful, long strides.

A distant debut fourth to Zainalarab (War Front) sprinting on the Belmont main track Sept. 18, White Frost improved a couple of spots to finish runner-up in a muddy main-track maiden in Elmont on Halloween. Switched to the turf and two turns for her latest, the dark bay worked out a box-seat trip and went on to best recent Fair Grounds maiden winner Lijana (Hard Spun) by 1 1/4 lengths.

Pedigree Notes:

The 95th stakes winner and 48th graded winner for Candy Ride, White Frost is the second black-type performer for her dam, a dual stakes winner on the New York circuit in the early 2010s for Dogwood Stable and acquired by Gainesway for $170,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. White Frost's third dam was a Grade I winner on turf at nine furlongs for Allen Paulson and Marty Wygod and was a full-sister to Paulson's top turf horse Hap. Their dam, multiple French champion Committed (Hagley), is also the second dam of top turf sire English Channel (Smart Strike). Winter Frost also carries the cross over Storm Cat-line first or second dams that has been responsible for some of Candy Ride's top horses, including Horse of the Year Gun Runner, champion Shared Belief and other Grade I winners Sidney's Candy, Evita Argentina and Mastery, among others. Miss Frost is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Union Rags, a yearling colt by the late Empire Maker and was most recently bred to Frosted.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
SWEETEST CHANT S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 1-30, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.45, fm.
1–WHITE FROST, 118, f, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
     1st Dam: Miss Frost (MSW, $247,259), by Curlin
     2nd Dam: Allencat, by Storm Cat
     3rd Dam: Pharma, by Theatrical (Ire)
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O-Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Gainesway
Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
$60,140. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $123,920. Werk Nick
Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Con Lima, 120, f, 3, Commissioner–Second Street City, by
Consolidator. ($15,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $19,000 RNA Ylg '19
KEESEP; $22,000 RNA 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del
Toro & Troy Johnson; B-Lisa Kuhlmann (TX); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $19,400.
3–Domain Expertise, 118, f, 3, Kitten's Joy–Teroda, by
Limehouse. ($200,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Klaravich Stables,
Inc.; B-J D Stuart, Mueller Farms, Inc. & Kenneth L. & Sarah K.
Ramsey (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $9,700.
Margins: 1, 1, HF. Odds: 4.50, 1.30, 7.60.
Also Ran: Candace O, Honey Pants, Queen of the Green, Director's Cut, Lionessofbrittany.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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White Frost Reels In Con Lima In Sweetest Chant At Gulfstream

Gainesway Stable's homebred White Frost made her sophomore and stakes debut a winning one, powering through the stretch to run down favored Con Lima for a one-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 26th running of the one-mile Sweetest Chant for 3-year-old fillies on the grass was the fourth of five graded-stakes worth $600,000 in purses, immediately preceding the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3), Gulfstream's next step for 3-year-olds on the road to the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1).

Ridden by Junior Alvarado for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, White Frost ($11) hit the wire in 1:34.45 over a firm course for her second straight win. The daughter of Candy Ride graduated with a 1 ¼-length maiden special weight triumph Nov. 21 at Aqueduct in her previous start.

“I thought Junior gave her a super ride out of there,” Mott's assistant, Kenny McCarthy said. “I know beforehand, the boss mentioned that maybe [Con Lima] had the speed of the race and maybe [Lionessofbrittany] early, so the plan was to tuck in early on, save some ground and call on her turning for home and see if she had an answer. And, boy, she sure did answer.”

Breaking from Post 5 in the field of eight, Alvarado found himself between horses in the early stages trailing all but two horses through six furlongs as Con Lima, winner of the Ginger Brew Jan. 1 at Gulfstream, ran splits of 24.16 seconds, 48.26 and 1:11.66 pressed by Lionessofbrittany, exiting back-to-back turf sprint victories.

“She broke very sharp. Going into the first turn, things got a little tight, but I had enough filly to hold my spot,” Alvarado said. “I was a passenger the whole way around. I just had to show her where to go and find the room turning for home. After I put her in the clear, she has such a nice turn of foot. It made my job very easy.”

Alvarado was able to weave his way through traffic until finding room at the head of the stretch, tipping out into the opening and setting his sights on Con Lima. White Frost steadily gained ground down the center of the course to reel in Con Lima, who was a length better than Domain Expertise in third, followed by Candace O, Honey Pants, Queen of the Green, Director's Cut and Lionessofbrittany.

“It was pretty exceptional, because they hadn't gone that fast early so you figure everyone's going to be running home a little bit,” McCarthy said. “Once Junior put her in the clear, she really accelerated and showed them a nice clean pair of heels.”

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