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Sidney's Candy takes to dirt in Churchill work
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| Sidney's Candy gave his assistant trainer goose bumps
(Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs) |
Santa Anita Derby (G1) hero SIDNEY'S CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]) traveled
five-eighths in :59 4/5 on a fast track at Churchill Downs Saturday, impressing
observers in his first-ever work on a dirt surface.
A homebred campaigned by Sid and Jenny Craig Trust, the John Sadler trainee
worked in company with stablemate Via Verde (Cherokee Run), who finished up in
1:00 4/5.
Exercise rider Lupillo Alferez was aboard as Sidney's Candy started the work
about 2 1/2 lengths back of his workmate, but he would soon stride well in front
of his companion. The chestnut was caught in fractions of :12 3/5, :24 4/5; :36
1/5 and :48, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 and seven-eighths in
1:27 2/5.
Sidney's Candy worked in the first special training session at Churchill
Downs for Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders. A 15-minute
period is being dedicated exclusively to those horses immediately after the
mid-session break for track maintenance.
The Southern California-based Sadler was not at Churchill Downs for the work,
but assistant Larry Benavidez looked on from the clubhouse and had good news to
report to his boss.
"It gave me some goose bumps this morning," Benavidez said. "I had (Bob)
Baffert up there with me at the finish line and I could tell that he was
interested. That work was phenomenal."
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Although Sidney's Candy has scored front-running wins in the Santa Anita
Derby, San Felipe S. (G2) and San Vicente S. (G2) this season, Benavidez said
Saturday's move provided a glimpse of the versatility he believes the speedy
colt possesses.
"When he broke his maiden in his first race, he was off the pace," Benavidez
said. "He's not really a speed horse. He can rate; he shuts it down pretty
easily. He's a smart horse and actually kind of acts like an older horse. Today
was helpful in that being prepared for the Derby he can lay second or third. He
passed with flying colors today."
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| Endorsement powers clear beneath trainer Shannon Ritter
(EquiSport Photos) |
Over Keeneland's Polytrack, Sunland Derby (G3) star ENDORSEMENT (Distorted
Humor) exercised five panels in 1:01 2/5 with trainer Shannon Ritter up.Breaking off five lengths behind a workmate, Endorsement posted fractions of
:13 3/5, :26 3/5, :38 2/5, :49 2/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 and
seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5. Endorsement blew past his co-worker nearing the end
of the far turn and was 10 lengths in front at the wire.
"I started him off a little slow because I wanted him to relax off the other
horse," Ritter said. "(On the turn) he couldn't wait any longer. He finished up
strong -- the last three-eighths in :35 -- and galloped out well."
Endorsement will leave for Churchill Downs on Sunday and be stabled in Barn
19, the home of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Churchill Downs stable.
"The rest of the horses will stay here (at Keeneland)," said Ritter, who has
11 other horses housed in Barn 1. "I will probably go back and forth and if I
have some horses to work, I will come over here early in the morning."
Ritter, who never has had a Kentucky Derby starter as a trainer but was the
regular exercise rider for 1998 Derby runner-up Victory Gallop, said Endorsement
would work next on April 25 at Churchill, where he made his racing debut
last November.
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Robby Albarado, who rode Endorsement for the first time at Sunland Park, has
committed to ride the WinStar Farm colt in the Kentucky Derby.
"I haven't decided yet who will work him," Ritter said, "but it will probably
be me."
Over at Trackside Louisville, trainer Mike Maker was looking for strong works
from his Derby contender, Lane's End S. (G2) winner DEAN'S KITTEN (Kitten's
Joy), and his Oaks hope, AGE OF HUMOR (Distorted Humor), most recently runner-up
in the Bourbonette Oaks (G3). So Maker decided to work them at five furlongs in
company -- one of the rare instances in recent Kentucky Derby history in which a
stable's Derby and Oaks candidates have teamed up for an important work so close
to their respective races.
The result of the head-to-head effort left Maker smiling as Dean's Kitten,
working on the outside, and Age of Humor finished together in a bullet :59 4/5,
tying for the best of 10 works at the distance on the fast track.
"They're a pretty good match," Maker said. "Today was supposed to be Age of
Humor's good work and Dean's Kitten...he's not that great of a work horse. He
needed to do a little something today, so that's why we did it."
And the results were as good, or perhaps a bit better, than Maker had hoped.
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| Dean's Kitten (outside) and Age of Humor turned in a co-ed bullet work
(Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs) |
"Everything was great," he said. "That was better than the norm for Dean's
Kitten and Age of Humor, we tried a little something different on her blinkers
today because she's usually a little laid-back, too -- but she looked very keen
to go on. So we are very excited about her."Workout pairings of Oaks and Derby contenders have been rare in recent
history. The most memorable recent move was trainer Charlie Whittingham's work
that matched Derby contender Ferdinand with Oaks hopeful Hidden Light in 1986.
Ferdinand got the strong pre-Derby work that Whittingham thought he needed and
the colt went on to give the Hall of Fame trainer the first of his two Kentucky
Derby victories, while Hidden Light finished off the board in the Kentucky Oaks.
Dean's Kitten and Age of Humor will have one more work next Saturday before
their respective races.
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Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Dean's Kitten is guaranteed a spot in the
starting gate for the May 1 Kentucky Derby. But Age of Humor has to have some
luck to run in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks, as she is on the outside looking in
when it comes to the graded stakes earnings on which participation in the race
is determined. Her near-miss in the Bourbonette pushed that earnings total to
$39,400, which is only good enough at this point for 20th place on a listed of
24 fillies considered likely to run in the race. The Oaks is limited to 14
starters, with preference to fillies with the highest earnings in graded stakes.
"Getting her in is the biggest question," Maker said. "She's a little light
on seasoning, but I'll tell you what: I'm anxious to run her a mile and an
eighth -- very anxious."
Dean's Kitten is one of two Kentucky Derby hopefuls in Maker's care. The
other is Thomas and Jack Conway's STATELY VICTOR (Ghostzapper), the 40-1 upset
winner of last Saturday's Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. Stately Victor galloped
early Saturday at Trackside and is scheduled to work next Saturday.
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