NEWS
Twirling Candy wins controversial Del Mar Derby
Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 8:51 PM
TWIRLING CANDY
Benoit & Associates photo
To view the Del Mar Derby, click here.
by Mike Curry
Twirling Candy remained undefeated with a dominant victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby (G2) on Sunday, but the win was not without controversy as the Candy Ride (Arg) colt carried an opponent out into the middle of the course when he ducked out badly entering the backstretch.
Following a stewards’ inquiry, Twirling Candy’s front-running 3 1/4-length win under Joel Rosario was made official and he improved to four wins in as many starts for trainer John Sadler and owner Craig Family Trust. He completed the 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds in 1:46.96 on firm turf in his graded stakes debut.
"He must have seen something inside him,” Rosario said. “All of a sudden he went outside. I did the best I could to get him back. I don't think it caused that much trouble. I didn't have any trouble with the saddle or the reins. He did it himself.
“I've worked him in the morning and he sometimes ducks away from things. He's so talented. He's such a good colt. Once I got him going back right, he relaxed and just went on about it."
Twirling Candy broke alertly and set the tempo through an opening quarter in :23.69. Leaving the first turn, he appeared to shy from something in the infield and ducked out, carrying Grade 2-placed Summer Movie well out into the middle of the turf course. Rosario regained control and guided him back to the rail and Twirling Candy shook free of Summer Movie in early stretch en route to an easy win.
"I think the stewards made the right call [on possible disqualification],” Sadler said. “[Twirling Candy] was so much the best. It was only his fourth start and he's big and headstrong. He'll get better and better against better horses. This is one of the best horses in the country; he's so gifted.
“He's better when there are horses around him. When he's by himself out there he does a lot of looking around. He'll run in the Goodwood Stakes [(G1) at the Oak Tree meeting], and I think the pace on a synthetic surface will be better for him."
Jairzihno (GB) closed from fourth to finish second at 33-to-1 odds, a half-length in front of Royal F J. Summer Movie faded to last in the six-horse field under Victor Espinoza.
"He took me way out,” Espinoza said of the incident with Twirling Candy. “We almost went down. My horse crossed legs with him and I had to stop riding. I was lucky I didn't go down. I think my horse might have gotten hurt. I hope he didn't, but he might have."
Bred in Kentucky by the late Sid Craig and his wife, Jenny, Twirling Candy is out of the Chester House mare House of Danzing. He boosted his earnings to $294,900 with the $180,000 Del Mar Derby winner’s share.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Handicapper, Inglewood, CA on September 09, 2010 at 02:47 PM
It's too bad what happened, it took away the awesome performance Candy put on, he is starting to look like something really special. Goodwood next then on to the B.C.Classic or B.C. Turf, connections have an option with this one. Can't wait to see more of him...
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Posted by: donewithcaracing, forego, ND on September 06, 2010 at 08:50 PM
not only that but what IF the fouled horse (that Espinosa was riding)hooked twirling candy in the eye for the next 1/2 mile, no steward can predict what could have occurred next!
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Posted by: ed, Mendota Heights, MN on September 06, 2010 at 12:49 PM
I recall a stakes race at Del Mar several years ago where a horse came over before the first turn and slightly interfered with a horse. The jockey stood up and Trevor Denman made a bid deal of it during the call. It may have involved Alphabet Soup.
To not dq the Twirlng Candy because the other horse finished 6 lengths behind is silly. What horse running second and then forced to stop by the winner before the race is half over is silly. How do the stewards know the horse would not have won or finished in the money.
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Posted by: larry, brantford, ON on September 06, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Here we go again! one day we play by this set of rules and the next day we play by this set of rules! What a BS industry this is !
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Posted by: Fedup, none ya, HI on September 06, 2010 at 12:30 AM
Something ought to be done about the wording of the Ca racing rules that gives the stewards "discretion" in these calls. Many states it mandates that the stewards "SHALL" disqualify any horse who interferes or impedes another horse and "SHALL" be placed behind the horse that was impeded. Not California. The stewards "MAY" disqualify.......... So much for protecting the integrity of racing and the betting public. We might as well all stop betting on the horses and go to the casino instead.
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