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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Big Crowd Twirls at Del Mar

Twirling Candy is undefeated in three tries for trainer John Sadler after winning the Oceanside stakes before a record crowd of over 45,000 on opening day at Del Mar.

They came by cars, limos, trains and planes. Ladies wore hats so brash and colorful that strangers stopped to take photos. Men dressed in white suits and carrying drinks gawked and prowled. [LA Times]
If that doesn't set the scene for you, I don't know what will! A close observer of the SoCal racing scene tells me that Sidney's Candy is Sadler's second best three-year old after this one; and that he wouldn't be surprised if he's shipped east for the Travers. A private workout report I saw called him "one of the top two 3 year olds on the West Coast (Lookin At Lucky is the other one)."

The Travers would be his first race on dirt, but if he handles it like he did his first effort on grass yesterday, that'll be no problem at all. Pace setting Macias, graded stakes-placed on grass, was settled this time and set a very comfortable pace, as Twirling Candy sat third. But this son of Candy Ride, after swinging three wide on the turn, wore down Macias and pulled away in a powerful final quarter of 22.83 (no Beyer posted as of this morning). He's out of a winless mare by the late Chester House; his second dam is a half-sister to the stakes-winning Chocolate Candy.

15 Comments:

jk said...

The first two Spa cards look pretty good. I am going to dust off my NYRA account and play a few races.

jk said...

More sleaze is revealed from the AEG slot bid........


http://tinyurl.com/2fzebyl

Shady Aussie Karl O'Farrell lost Jay-Z and Rev. Floyd Flake their racino bid, Lottery reveals

Alan Mann said...

Poor Karl O'Farrell, what did he ever do wrong other than go bankrupt? That makes him "shady?" I've never actually read anything that accused him of any wrongdoing.

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Anonymous said...

Didn't the Coaching Club American Oaks used to be 12 furlongs at Belmont Park? Now it's 9 panels at Saratoga? WTF? -jp

Anonymous said...

NY Horsemen.

Karl O'Farrell, using his own money, was made a bankrupt (on a technicality, being a vague handshake deal with a vindictive party, if you read the case), in trying to win a nightmare 7 year bidding process at the Aqueduct.

Many other affiliated parties to previous bidders and other bidders have also been broken financially & mentally.

If you have followed the political Aqueduct processes, you will clearly understand how this has occurred and one would ask oneself, who the hell would be stupid enough, to endure 14 stations in trying to bring employment to Queens
and monies to NYRA, NY Racing & the Queens Community.

Not me.

bullitt said...

Twirling Candy isn't winning the Travers, Afleet Express is.

Anonymous said...

Alan
fact is the person who made O'Farrell an Australian bankrupt has lot deeper pockets is world's biggest punter mainly horses Is a secretive don't mess with me Yugoslav - Ranogajec.
It was rumored at the time that he was talking to different parties for the NYRA and Aqueduct Franchises...go figure

Figless said...

Pouring rain at the Spa, no turf status yet.

Steve Crist did a pretty nice opening day blog piece at drf.

El Angelo said...

The CCA Oaks hasn't been at a mile and a half for years, because the fields were absurdly small.

Figless said...

Well, racing returns to Belmont(formerly Aqueduct) type races on Monday, the shine didnt last long.

Card opens with back to back $10k restricted claiming contests with short fields, followed by another short field in a decent NY Bred Stake feature carded early to keep it out of the P6.

Two maiden claimers and a NY Bred MSW turf sprint come along later.

A few decent races complete the card but clearly the lack of quality will begin to show after the weekend.

El Angelo said...

Best NY racing news in a while. Seriously.

http://drf.com/news/article/115038.html

Anonymous said...

J Said Karl O'Farrell is an Irishman not an Australian Don't blame Australia

Figless said...

El Angelo, yes, the stewards finally being held accountable is a positive, first time in America but the norm overseas. They should have to issue a written report on all races, not just those with an inquiry. As it stands they do not have to explain a race unless they take a look at it, so those non-calls they are so famous for continue to go unexplained.

Nonetheless, another positive step for NYRA, add it to the uncoupled entry rule as a move in the right direction.

I am unsure about killing the detention barn, which as a gambler I liked in principle but it did seem to upset the horses and horsemen,for good reason.


There will be more shippers, a positive, but doubt todays testing, even in increased amounts, can catch everything, so the cheating will resume.

But shippers will now have a better chance, perhaps highlighted by shippers winning the first three races of the meet.

Figless said...

Oh yeah, Rachel is running today, with the heat doubt MTH will get their projected increase crowd.

I will be trying to beat her with Biancone/Bravo and maybe even Goldbergs filly.

RA had to ship in this heat, gives five pounds to all, and is facing a ton of early pressure so despite outclassing these she will still have to earn the victory as race shape and the heat are against her.