Candy Ride

Candy Ride (foaled September 27, 1999 in Argentina) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who went undefeated in six starts on both turf and dirt racing surfaces in Argentina and the United States. In Argentina, he won the Gran Premio San Isidro and the Joaquin S. de Anchorena, setting a world record of 1:31.01 for 1,600 meters on the turf in the latter. He was named Argentina's Champion Miler of 2002. Relocated to the United States in 2003, he won the American Handicap and set a track record in the Pacific Classic Stakes. Retired to stud in Kentucky, he developed into a top 10 sire whose notable offspring include American Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Candy Ride
SireRide The Rails (USA)
GrandsireCryptoclearance
DamCandy Girl
DamsireCandy Stripes
SexStallion
FoaledSeptember 27, 1999
CountryArgentina[1]
ColourBay
BreederHaras Abolengo
OwnerSidney & Jenny Craig
TrainerRon McAnally
Record6: 6-0-0
EarningsUS$749,149[2]
Major wins
Gran Premio San Isidro (2002)
G. P. Internacional Joaquín S. de Anchorena (2002)
American Handicap (2003)
Pacific Classic Stakes (2003)
Awards
Argentina Champion Miler (2002)

Background

Candy Ride is a bay stallion standing 16 12 hands (64.5 inches, 164 cm) high who was bred in Argentina by Haras Abolengo. He was sired by American-bred Ride The Rails, who raced in the United States and stood at stud in Argentina. His grandsire is American multiple Grade I winner Cryptoclearance, who was a grandson of Mr. Prospector. Candy Ride is out of the mare Candy Girl, a daughter of Candy Stripes, who also sired 2005 American Champion Male Turf Horse Leroidesanimaux and 2006 American Horse of the Year Invasor. Candy Girl is from a strong female family that produced multiple stakes winners in South America.[3]

As a yearling, Candy Ride was privately sold for the equivalent of about $12,000 to Gumercindo Alonzo.[4]

Racing record

2002: in Argentina

Candy Ride did not officially race at age two. However, he made several starts over sprint distances as short as two furlongs in what is referred to as "country racing" in Argentina. His record in these unofficial races is unknown, but helped establish his reputation.[3] He went off as the favorite in his first official start at the Hipodromo Argentino on August 9, 2002 in a maiden race over 1,200 meters (roughly 6 furlongs) on the dirt. After tracking the early leader, he took the lead halfway through the race and continued to draw away to win by twelve lengths.[5][6]

For his next start on October 12, Candy Ride was stepped up to the Group One level in the Gran Premio San Isidro at a distance of 1,600 meters (roughly one mile) on the turf. Going off at odds of 4–1 in a field of 11, he rated in fourth place then went to the lead with 2+12 furlongs remaining. He drew clear to win by 8 lengths.[5][6]

Candy Ride made the final start of the year in the Gran Premio Joaquin S de Anchorena, another Group 1 event at a distance of a 1,600 meters on the turf. He once again tracked the early pace and then moved to the lead with three furlongs to go. He won by eight lengths in a time of 1:31.01, a world record. His dominating performances earned the colt Argentine Champion Miler honors.[3][5][6]

2003: in the United States

In January 2003, Candy Ride was purchased for US$900,000 by Americans Sid and Jenny Craig. The couple had previously met with great success with horses bought in Argentina, most notably with Paseana, who won the 1992 Breeders' Cup Distaff and was voted the Eclipse Award as American Champion Older Female Horse for 1992 and 1993. The Craigs sent Candy Ride into training with Hall of FamerRon McAnally.[3][4]

On June 7, 2003, Candy Ride made his American debut in an allowance race at Hollywood Park over 1+116 miles on the dirt. He dueled for the early lead then took the lead turning to home to win by three lengths. His next start was on July 4 as the even money favorite in the Grade II American Handicap at Hollywood Park at a distance of 1+18 on the turf. He and Special Ring raced heads apart for most of the race before Candy Ride finally pulled clear in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length.[5] "The jets got cranked up at the half-mile pole and they just kept cranking," said jockey Gary Stevens. "He gives me a heck of a good feeling."[7]

In what turned out to be his last race, Candy Ride was entered in the Grade I Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar over a distance of 1+14 miles on the dirt. Medaglia d'Oro, the 3-5 favorite, went to the early lead and set moderate fractions of :2325 for the first quarter-mile and :4645 for the half. Candy Ride bobbled at the start but soon recovered to settle into second place. He took the lead turning for home and drew off to win by 3+14 lengths while setting a track record of 1:59:11. In beating the highly regarded (2nd), Candy Ride earned a Beyer speed figure of 123, the highest of any horse in the United States in 2003.[3][5]

After inheriting the ride from an injured Gary Stevens, Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a million dollar race. She credited Stevens for sharing his knowledge of the colt's idiosyncrasies, and wondered, "How good a horse is he? Wow! That's how good a horse he is. Amazing. He is a rocketship. I still can't believe this is real. Pulling up, I asked the pony rider to pinch me. I asked the clerk of scales if this was really happening."[8]

Because Candy Ride was foaled in Argentina, his breeders had not nominated him for the Breeders' Cup and as such, the Craigs would have been required to pay an $800,000 supplemental fee if they wanted to run their horse in the Breeders' Cup Classic.[9] McNally also noted that the colt's feet were very small and he wanted to remove the horseshoes to allow the feet to spread naturally.[10] With a view to racing in 2004, Candy Ride was given some time off and returned to training in December 2003. However, a variety of issues kept delaying his return to racing, and he was retired to stud in August 2004.[11]

Stud record

Although South America has produced many top quality racehorses, relatively few of them have been successful at stud in North America. As a result, not much was expected of Candy Ride when he entered stud at Hill 'n' Dale in 2005 for a fee of $10,000.[3] However, he proved his doubters wrong early in his career, ranking third on the first-crop American sires list in 2008.[12] He presents breeders with the option to inbreed to Mr. Prospector through the fairly rare branch of Crytpoclearance. He has been particularly successful with mares from the Storm Cat or A.P. Indy lines.[4]

Candy Ride's first crop, foaled in 2006, produced Grade 1 winners Evita Argentina, El Brujo, Capt. Candyman Can and Misremembered. Demonstrating Candy Ride's versatility as a sire, both Evita Argentina and Capt. Candyman were graded stakes winners at age two and went on to earn Grade I wins at age three over sprint distances in the La Brea and King's Bishop respectively. By contrast, Misremembered won the Santa Anita Handicap over 10 furlongs as a four-year-old.

From his 2007 crop, Sidney's Candy won the Santa Anita Derby and also set a track record for 1+116 miles on turf at Del Mar. In addition, Twirling Candy became a star on the West Coast in 2010 and 2011, winning multiple Grade I races on turf and dirt. John Sadler, who trained both Sidney's Candy and Twirling Candy, is quoted as saying that Twirling Candy is the best horse he's ever trained.[13] Twirling Candy became the sire of 2021 Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer.

In 2010, Candy Ride was relocated to Lane's End, and has developed into a top 10 sire. Candy Ride's first champion was the ill-fated gelding Shared Belief, who was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse in 2013 and won five Grade I stakes from ages 2 to 4.[14]

More recently, Candy Ride has sired Gun Runner, who finished third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and went on to win the Clark Handicap later that year. In 2017, Gun Runner was the American Horse of the Year after winning the Breeders' Cup Classic, Whitney and Woodward Stakes.[15] Candy Ride finished second on the North American general sire lists in both 2017[16] and 2018.[17] Gun Runner is the sire of 2022 Preakness winner Early Voting making Candy Ride the grandsire of two consecutive winners of that classic.

Notable progeny

His major stakes winners include:[18]

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Grade I wins
2006 Capt. Candyman Can c King's Bishop Stakes
2006 El Brujo c Pat O'Brien Stakes
2006 Evita Argentina f La Brea Stakes
2006 Misremembered c Santa Anita Handicap
2007 Sidney's Candy c Santa Anita Derby
2007 Twirling Candy c Malibu Stakes
2008 Home Sweet Aspen f Santa Monica Stakes
2011 Shared Belief g 2013 Champion 2yo colt – Los Alamitos Futurity, 2014 Pacific Classic Stakes, Awesome Again Stakes, Malibu Stakes, 2015 Santa Anita Handicap
2012 Ascend g 2017 Manhattan Stakes
2013 Gun Runner c 2017 Horse of the Year – Stephen Foster Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Classic. 2018 Pegasus World Cup
2013 Leofric c Clark Handicap
2014 Mastery c Los Alamitos Futurity
2015 Ollie's Candy f 2019 Clement L. Hirsch
2015 Separationofpowers f 2017 Frizette Stakes, 2018 Test Stakes
2016 Vekoma c Carter Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap
2017 Game Winner c 2017 champion 2yo colt – Del Mar Futurity, American Pharoah, Breeders' Cup Juvenile
2018 Rock Your World c Santa Anita Derby
2020 Geaux Rocket Ride c Haskell Stakes
2021 Candied f Alcibiades Stakes

Candy Ride's most notable progeny includes:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Candy Ride (ARG), bay stallion, foaled September 27, 1999[1]
Sire
Ride The Rails
dkb/br. 1991
Cryptoclearance
dkb/br. 1984
Fappiano
b. 1977
Mr. Prospector
Killaloe
Naval Orange
dkb/br. 1975
Hoist The Flag
Mock Orange
Herbalesian
b. 1969
Herbager (FR)
b. 1956
Vandale (FR)
Flagette (FR)
Alanesian
b. 1954
Polynesian
Alablue
Dam
Candy Girl (ARG)
ch. 1990
Candy Stripes
ch. 1982
Blushing Groom (FR)
ch. 1974
Red God
Runaway Bride (GB)
Bubble Company (FR)
ch. 1977
Lyphard
Prodice (FR)
City Girl (ARG)
ch. 1982
Farnesio (ARG)
b. 1974
Good Manners
La Farnesina (ARG)
Cithara (ARG)
ch. 1975
Utopico (ARG)
Cithere (FR) (Family 13-c)[19]

See also

References

  1. "Pedigree of Candy Ride". Equineline. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  2. "Candy Ride profile". Equibase. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  3. "Candy Ride (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  4. "Taking Stock: Candy Ride and His North American Success". Thoroughbred Daily News. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  5. "DRF Lifetime Past Performances (pdf)" (PDF). lanesend.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  6. "Don't cry for Candy Ride". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  7. "Candy Ride claims sweet American 'Cap win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  8. "Candy Ride licks Medaglia d'Oro in the Pacific Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  9. Christine, Bill (21 September 2003). "Candy Ride Not Likely to Run in Breeders' Cup". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  10. "McNally explains decision to skip Breeders' Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  11. "Grade I winner Candy Ride retired". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  12. "2008 First Crop Sires". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  13. "Twirling Candy: Best horse in America?". Horse Racing News | Paulick Report. 2011-02-06. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  14. Equibase.com. "Shared Belief profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  15. Equibase.com. "Gun Runner profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  16. "The rise of Candy Ride". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  17. "Sire listings by progeny earnings". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  18. "Candy Ride (ARG) on Stallion Register Online". Stallion Register Online. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  19. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Stray Shot - Family 13-c". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
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