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Sidney's Candy rolls to easy win in off-the-turf Sir Beaufort

Last updated: 12/26/10 8:51 PM

Sidney's Candy rolls to easy win in off-the-turf Sir

Beaufort

Sidney's Candy was a class apart

(Benoit Photos)

Sunday's $150,000

Sir

Beaufort S. (G3) at Santa Anita was transferred from turf to dirt, but the

surface switch made little difference to SIDNEY'S CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]), who

seized control out of the gate and dominated four overmatched rivals in

wire-to-wire fashion. After establishing opening splits of :22 2/5, :45 and 1:08

2/5 on a short lead, the Craig Family Trust homebred extended his margin through

the stretch while

under little pressure from Joel Rosario, completing a mile over the fast track

in 1:33 3/5.

Favored at 1-5, the John Sadler-trained colt paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 for

the 7 1/4-length decision.

"He's a really good horse and he likes to run free and easy," Rosario said.

"Even though he went fast fractions, he just kept going. When we went to the

first turn, I could hear Trevor (Denman) say we made an easy lead. The fractions

were fast and he maybe got a little bit tired at the end. He's a good horse and

he's improved every time he runs."

Indian Firewater (Indian Charlie) tracked Sidney's Candy through the early

stages and held second after being left far behind in the stretch, returning

$2.60 and $2.60 as the 9-2 second choice. Nextdoorneighbor (Lido Palace [Ire])

was a half-length back in third at 9-1 and gave back $3.40. Stephen's Got

Hope (Stephen Got Even) and Blue Panis (Fr) (Panis) came next under the wire. The $1 exotics totaled $3.10 (exacta), $7.20 (trifecta) and $16.70 (5-6-2-7

superfecta).

Accelerant (Unusual Heat), Bogie (Ire) (Pivotal), Make Music for Me

(Bernstein) and Sebastian Flyte (GB) (Observatory) were all scratched after the

race was moved to the main track, and the Sir Beaufort was automatically downgraded to Grade 3 status, pending a

review by the American Graded Stakes Committee, due to the surface change.

Sidney's Candy notched his fifth stakes victory on Sunday. He made his

black-type debut a winning one in the San Vicente S. (G2) in mid-February and stamped himself

as a leading player on the Triple Crown trail with convincing scores in the San

Felipe S. (G2) and Santa Anita Derby (G1) on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride this spring.

However, nothing went right for him when trying dirt in the Kentucky Derby (G1), as

the chestnut struggled home a well-beaten 17th following a troubled trip from

post 20.

Freshened 2 1/2 months, Sidney's Candy returned with a head second in the

Swaps S. (G2) on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park. He made a smashing turf

bow in the August 14 La Jolla H. (G2) at Del Mar, winning by 5 1/2 lengths, and

then stepped up in class for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) off a nearly three-month

freshening. Sidney's Candy set the pace to the top of the stretch at Churchill

Downs before eventually weakening to sixth, three lengths behind Goldikova (Ire)

(Anabaa). The Kentucky-bred has now earned $803,560 from a 11-6-2-0 line.

Sidney's Candy was produced by the Storm Cat mare Fair Exchange, and he has a

yearling full brother named Sweet Swap. Fair Exchange is the only foal from

multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Exchange (Explodent), who captured such

major events as the Matriarch S. (G1), Santa Barbara H. (G1), Santa Ana H. (G1),

La Canada S. (G2), El Encino S. (G2), Orchid H. (G2) and Chula Vista H. (G2).

This is the family of Australian Group 1 victor Blue Murder (Bluebird) and a

pair of Canadian champions in Steady Growth (Briartic) and Kingsbridge

(Icecapade).

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