by Reg Lansberry
Sid and Jenny Craig’s longtime dream of winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) could taste sweet indeed should their homebred colt Chocolate Candy triumph in the 135th edition of the classic on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Although Sid Craig died of cancer at the couple’s home in Del Mar, California, when the striking bay colt from the first crop of the Craigs’ stallion Candy Ride (Arg) goes postward this Saturday he will represent his owners’ best-ever chance to capture the Derby.
Having entered three horses previously in the Derby, each of whom a purchase, Chocolate Candy will be the first Derby starter bred by the Craigs—a special thrill in itself, Jenny Craig said.
“Near the end of Sid’s illness last July, I asked him if there was anything he wished that he had achieved, and he said, ‘Yes. Winning the Kentucky Derby.’ It really was the ultimate dream for him,” she said. “We thought as one—and I shared all his dreams.”
The Craig's mutual devotion to and passion for racing during the past three decades has encompassed playing the game at the highest level—primarily as owners. Among their most prominent runners, the Craigs have campaigned Racing Hall of Fame mare Paseana (Arg), three-time Grade 1 winner Exchange, unbeaten Grade 1 winner Candy Ride— who won all six of his career starts—and 1992 Ever Ready Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) victor Dr Devious (Ire). In addition to his Epsom Derby success, Dr Devious will always be remembered as a $2.5-million birthday present to Sid Craig from his wife when he turned 60 in March 1992.
Chocolate Candy, out of stakes winner Crownette, by Seattle Slew, enters the Derby after finishing second to Pioneerof the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) (click here for video of the Santa Anita Derby) on April 4. With three races in 2009, plus the benefit of two workouts on the Churchill Downs main track for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, the race will be Chocolate Candy’s debut on a dirt track.
Chocolate Candy enters the Kentucky Derby with four victories from nine starts, including a win in the El Camino Real Derby (G3) (click here for video of the El Camino Real) at Golden Gate Fields in February, and $532,500 in earnings. His last five races have come at distances of 1 1/16 miles or longer.
Only two other prospective Derby starters—Pioneer of the Nile and multiple graded stakes winner Musket Man—will enter the Derby with a greater number of victories.
Hollendorfer, who has conditioned horses for the Craigs for more than two decades, tapped Racing Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith to ride the colt. Smith won the 2005 Derby with the late-closing Giacomo at odds of 50.30-to-1.
“While you always need a good trip in the Derby, I don’t think Chocolate Candy will have any problem getting the distance,” Hollendorfer said. “I worked him a mile last week at Churchill (in 1:42 on April 21) on purpose so that he would run around all the turns. He handled them well, which is what I wanted. I was not concerned with the time but with the way he did it. Mike really liked the way he did it, too.”
Foaled on February 6, 2006, at John G. Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms near Lexington, where the Sid and Jenny Craig Trust boards its mares, Chocolate Candy can elevate his connections into racing history’s most rarefied air with a victory under the Twin Spires.
Having had success buying horses from Argentina over the years due in large measure to the acumen of trainer Ron McAnally, who effectuated their purchases of Paseana and the multiple Grade 1-winning filly Different (Arg), the Craigs purchased Candy Ride after he had won his first three races in Argentina, two of them Group 1 events.
Candy Ride’s three wins from as many starts for McAnally included the American Handicap (G2) on turf at Hollywood Park and the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) on dirt at Del Mar in a track record time of 1:59.11 for 1¼ miles. Jenny Craig cited the Pacific Classic triumph as one of the couple’s most thrilling and memorable moments.
Candy Ride also is the sire of graded stakes winners Capt. Candyman Can and Evita Argentina, as well as stakes winner Jack Spratt.
“A big part of Candy Ride’s success has been the Craigs’ belief in the horse and sending their mares to him,” said Sikura. “It usually takes overwhelming evidence [of success] for a horse with an obscure pedigree before someone will commit to breed to him. And so far, Candy Ride has gotten off to an excellent start at stud.”
Jenny Craig said that she sent close to a dozen of her mares to Candy Ride this year. She and her husband would consult annually with several close friends and advisers regarding mating plans including McAnally and prominent California owner-breeder Marty Wygod.
“Since the beginning, the quality of Candy Ride’s mares has increased,” Sikura said. “Looking back, we were probably too benevolent [with respect to establishing the stud fee] but we were trying to do the best that we could to manage the market demand for the horse. He was priced under the market but it’s pretty certain that his fee will go up next year.”
On the morning of May 2, another exciting event in the Craig family will take place in California when Sydney Weinger, the oldest of the Craigs’ 13 grandchildren, graduates from Pepperdine University in Malibu.
Later that day, Chocolate Candy will attempt to graduate tops in his own class—the foal crop of 2006 with a victory in the Kentucky Derby.
Would that not be sweet?
Reg Lansberry is a Southeast-based correspondent for THOROUGHBRED TIMES