Paul and Karen Eggert's homebred Ollie's Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) grittily repelled favored Secret Spice (Discreet Cat) in the dying strides to win the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. Sunday at Del Mar by a hard-fought head and earn an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The dark bay filly, returning to the main track for the first time since winning last year's GII Summer Oaks at Santa Anita, took control around the first turn and set the pace through fractions of :23.05 and :46.68. She skipped clear entering the far turn, but Secret Spice uncorked an eye-catching rally, rolling up alongside the pacesetter in a matter of strides. Ollie's Candy looked set to wilt under the pressure of the heavy favorite and Secret Spice got a nose in front at midstretch, but Ollie's Candy refused to lose and battled back resolutely to earn her first Grade I victory.
“I was just letting her do her thing; reins were dangling,” said winning rider Kent Desormeaux. “At the quarter pole, I picked her up and she did the rest. That other mare got in front of us, but my mare is a fighter. She wants to win.”
It was the second Grade I and 'Win and You're In' victory of the weekend for trainer John Sadler, who won Saturday's GI Bing Crosby S. with Cistron (The Factor).
Ollie's Candy opened her career with two romping victories over the all-weather at Golden Gate last spring and made her dirt debut while winning the GII Summer Oaks last June for trainer William Morey. Transferred to the turf, she was a narrowly beaten runner-up in both the July 21 GII San Clemente H. and Aug. 18 GI Del Mar Oaks. She was seventh in the May 27 GI Gamely S. in her first start for Sadler and was coming off a runner-up effort in the June 22 GIII Wilshire S. She turned in a best of 87 four-furlong work in :46 3/5 at Del Mar July 20.
“She is a really nice filly who ran in some big races here last year for Bill Morey, Jr,” Sadler said. “She came my way in really good shape and I've just kind of carried on for what he did last year. She ran a good race her last start at Santa Anita, came down here and had a bullet work over the track, which showed me she had an affinity for the dirt. A lot of Candy Rides can run on any surface.
Pedigree Notes:
Paul and Karen Eggert purchased Afternoon Stroll, with Ollie's Candy in utero, for $85,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January sale. The mare, winner of the 2009 GIII Appalachian S., RNA'd for $57,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale and was subsequently exported to Saudi Arabia.
Sunday, Del Mar
CLEMENT L. HIRSCH S.-GI, $300,351, Del Mar, 7-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.66, ft.
1–OLLIE'S CANDY, 119, f, 4, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Afternoon Stroll (GSW, $213,630), by Stroll
2nd Dam: Gertie, by Danzatore
3rd Dam: Granny Ruth, by Key to the Mint
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($45,000 RNA Ylg '16 KEESEP). O/B-Paul
Eggert & Karen Eggert (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Kent J.
Desormeaux. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 8-4-3-0, $452,151.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++. *Triple Plus*.
2–Secret Spice, 123, f, 4, by Discreet Cat
1st Dam: Chimayo, by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Chimichurri, by Elusive Quality
3rd Dam: Hard Knocker, by Raja Baba
($4,500 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $125,000 2yo '17 EASMAY). O-Little
Red Feather Racing & Bobby Flay; B-Godolphin LLC (KY);
T-Richard Baltas. $60,000.
3–La Force (Ger), 121, m, 5, by Power (GB)
1st Dam: La Miraculeuse (Ger), by Samum (Ger)
2nd Dam: L'Heure Bleue (Ire), by Kendor (Fr)
3rd Dam: Loire Princesse (Ire), by Tate Gallery
(€22,000 RNA Ylg '15 BBAGS). O-Roberta & Ward Williford &
Charles N Winner; B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Patrick
Gallagher. $36,000.
Margins: HD, 5 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 4.00, 1.30, 7.10.
Also Ran: Paradise Woods, Spring in the Wind, Queen Bee to You. Scratched: Just a Smidge. 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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