Candy Man Rocket

Ellis Park will host its first Grade I race in its 100-year history Saturday, but there are plenty of other graded stakes scheduled before the Fourth of July at Belmont Park, Delaware Park, Woodbine Racetrack and Gulfstream Park. Here's a rundown of what's on tap. Showdown in Belmont's Dwyer One of two graded stakes on Saturday in Elmont is the GIII Dwyer S. Going a mile, the race pits Fort Bragg (Tapit), who was forced to scratch from the GI Woody Stephens S. by trainer Bob Baffert when the 3-year-old...

Scott Kintz's Six K's Training and Sales has a strong foundation to build on after surviving its first 2-year-old sales season, of all years, in 2020. The veteran horseman has enjoyed some strong advertisements on the track in the interim as he and his crew being their first group of 2021 juvenile offerings to market at this week's OBS March sale. "Obviously, it has not been fun or easy," Kintz said earlier this week of the added difficulties of building a new business in the middle of the covid pandemic....

After recording a stalk-and-pounce victory in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 6, Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) will have 11 rivals standing in his way to double up in Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The Tampa Bay Derby carries 50-20-10-5 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. The Frank Fletcher colorbearer previously romped by 9 1/4 lengths at second asking going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Jan. 9. He received 85 Beyer Speed Figures in both efforts. The Sam Davis was Candy...

It's a philosophy that sustains a stable of Rockets--but it's not rocket science. Anything but, according to Frank Fletcher. "First, you really want to work hard," he says. "Number two, you got to have a stroke of luck. And, number three, when you get lucky and start being successful, you need to surround yourself with people a lot smarter than you are." Let's deal with those in reverse order. Because Fletcher says that the horse we want to discuss is all about the third rule; about the excellence of his...

Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}), a blowout maiden winner at second asking at Gulfstream Jan. 9, led home a one-two finish for the Hall of Fame Bill Mott barn with a press-and-pounce, one-length score while making his two-turn debut in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Pasco S. winner Nova Rags (Union Rags) followed home his stablemate and just edged out the somewhat green Hidden Stash (Constitution) for second. The Sam F. Davis carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby....

5th-Gulfstream, $40,000, Msw, 1-9, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.28, ft, 9 1/4 lengths. CANDY MAN ROCKET (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Kenny Lane, by Forestry) faded to seventh in his career bow in the slop at Churchill Downs Nov. 22 and received Lasix for the first time in this second attempt. Breaking on top, the 7-1 shot was overtaken by Jeebar (Frosted) and settled to stalk from second through a :22.79 opening quarter and :46.11 half-mile. Sweeping to the front entering the lane, the bay charged clear with ease to win for fun...