CANDY RIDE: Just call him Mr. 123
By DICK JERARDI
PHILADELPHIA - Without getting into the decision, we here at Beyer Control are saddened by the end of Candy Ride's season. When you compute thousands of Beyer figures each year, you get a certain tingle when a horse hits the high end of the scale. And you want see that horse run again and again and again.
Candy Ride earned a 123 in the Pacific Classic. The key word is "earned." It is the best Beyer of 2003 at any distance on any surface. And it is, despite what those who are not of the Beyer world may suggest, completely legitimate.
There was some discussion about the legitimacy of the 110 that Ten Most Wanted earned in the Illinois Derby back in the spring. That discussion ended long ago.
"People always have the right to say, is this figure accurate, because there are a lot of cases where we are not sure,'' Andrew Beyer said. "You've got to look at the whole picture instead of just a pre-conceived notion about one horse.''
And that, frankly, is where many people, with just a rudimentary understanding of how Beyers are made, go off on the wrong path.
The Pacific Classic was run at 1 1/4 miles, hardly everyday fare at Del Mar or anywhere else.
"Seldom-run distances do create a problem,'' Beyer admitted.
It was, however, just one race among eight dirt races on Aug. 24. And it was scrutinized in the context of all those other races. It was not just judged by itself.
We make a day's variant based on all the day's races. Then, and only then, do we decide how fast or slow the surface that day was. After looking at all the data on Pacific Classic Day, the surface was judged to be 19 Beyer points faster than normal. Thus, 19 Beyer points were subtracted from all the raw times.
Master Perfect won the first race. His previous three Beyers were 78-76-74. He got a 76. He won his next race and got a 79.
Minister Eric won the second race and got an 84. He got an 81 in his next start. Odds On was second with an 81. He won his next start with an 86.
Boss Ego was second by a nose in the eighth race. He got a 91. He won his next start with another 91.
All days should fit so nicely. The variant seemed obvious when it was made. What has happened since has only confirmed the obvious.
As for the Pacific Classic itself, the time alone suggested something special. All of us know that 1:59.11 is serious business. The margins told the rest of the story.
Candy Ride beat Medaglia d'Oro by 3 1/4 lengths. Medaglia's last five Beyers were 114-111-119-103-113. Clearly, the horse was capable of earning the 118 he got in the Pacific Classic. If he was really off his best form, as some may suggest, why did he beat third-place Fleetstreet Dancer by seven lengths?
Fleetstreet Dancer's last five Beyers were 104-98-106-110-105. Obviously, that was a horse who could run a 108. And that's what he got in the Pacific Classic.
Milwaukee Brew, who was fourth, got a 103 in his comeback race at Monmouth Park. He got a 104 at Del Mar.
Which leaves only one obvious question. How did Candy Ride go from a 111 on dirt and 107 on grass to a 123?
That is the part of the equation that those of us at Beyer Control can't answer. All we can do is look at the data and try to interpret it impartially.
In this case, the data was unequivocal. Candy Ride is a freak. Was it just one freak performance? Or was this horse about to enter that rare Beyer dimension and stay there?
That, too, is something we can't answer - yet. But we will be waiting eagerly for 2004 and the return of Candy Ride, known forevermore as 123
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CANDY RIDE FAVORED IN BREEDER'S CUP FUTURE BET
Off his rousing victory over Medaglia d’Oro in the Pacific Classic (G1) on August 24, undefeated Candy Ride (Arg) was selected by bettors in Period Two of the Breeders’ Cup Future Bet as the 7-to-2 favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Multiple Grade 1 winner Mineshaft, who finished as the 5-to-1 second choice in Period One of the Future Bet, again was selected as the second choice at 9-to-2 in Period Two which wrapped up on Monday. Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Empire Maker is the Period Two third pick at 6-to-1.
Each of the four races offered in Period Two included 23 horses plus one field entry of all horses not listed as an individual betting option for each respective pool. Each period of the Future Bet offers a unique pool, with odds locked in after wagering concludes.
Reigning Horse of the Year Azeri boasts the lowest odds of any of the Period Two Future Bet horses as she was made the 9-to-5 favorite to repeat her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). The daughter of Jade Hunter is 50-to-1 to win the Classic.
Fresh off his 4 ¾-length victory in Sunday’s Forego Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Aldebaran was bet down to 5-to-1 to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Beau’s Town is the second choice at 6-to-1.
Champion turf male High Chaparral (Ire) and Storming Home (GB), who was disqualified from his win in the Arlington Million (G1), are the Period Two co-favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), each at 6-to-1. High Chaparral captured the Royal Whip Stakes (Ire-G2) on August 10 in his first start since winning last season’s Turf on his way to year-end honors.
In Period One of the Future Bet, Empire Maker finished as the 7-to-2 favorite in the Classic while bettors made Azeri the 3-to-1 choice in the Distaff. The final betting period, which will run from September 19-21, will offer wagering on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Juvenile Fillies (G1), Mile (G1), and Filly and Mare Turf (G1).
CANDY RIDE LICKS MEDAGLIA IN PACIFIC CLASSIC
By Jack Shinar
Candy Ride, the undefeated Argentine colt ridden by Julie Krone, turned in a sizzling performance while romping to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I), setting a track record Sunday at Del Mar.
The 40-year-old Krone, subbing for the injured Gary Stevens, became the first female jockey to win a $1 million race in the United States. The final time was 1:59.11 for the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic, breaking the record of 1:59 .55 set in the 1993 Pacific Classic by Bertrando. Pacesetting Medaglia d'Oro, the 3-5 public choice ridden by Jerry Bailey, was second, finishing seven lengths ahead of 24-1 shot Fleetstreet Dancer. Milwaukee Brew, who ranged into contention on the far turn, faded to finish fourth and last.
The bubbly Krone, who returned from a broken back earlier this summer and is battling Patrick Valenzuela for the Del Mar riding title, was beside herself afterward. "Amazing. Unbelievable. You just can't measure something like this. There is not a way to put a scale on it. It is the sweetest. I feel like I can fly. After this, I can do anything. "How good a horse is he? Wow! That's how good a horse he is. Amazing. He is a rocketship. I still can't believe this is real. Pulling up, I asked the pony rider to pinch me. I asked the clerk of scales if this was really happening. "I've got to thank Gary (Stevens). He was a big part of this today. He shared his knowledge of this horse with me, told me about some of his idiosyncrasies. He shares in this win. "I've had some wonderful things happen to me in racing, but this ... wow! Tell me, is this really real?"
In the stretch, Bailey said he knew he was in too deep. "Basically, we were second best today," he said. "Everybody wanted to find out just how good (McAnally's) horse was. Well, we found out. He's pretty damn good. "My horse was going along easy. He was doing it on his own. I never asked him to run at all until we hit the far turn. When Candy Ride came to me and then went on by, I just called out to Julie: 'Go get 'em girl.' They were best. My horse ran a good race, but we got beat."
Owned by Sid and Jenny Craig, Del Mar residents who have long wanted to win this race, the 4-year-old Candy Ride is trained by Ron McAnally. Since he isn't nominated, the Craigs, who paid $900,000 for Candy Ride, would have to supplement him to the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) for a reported $800,000. The Breeders' Cup is at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.
McAnally, Del Mar's all-time leading conditioner picked Candy Ride out of Argentina for the Craigs in January after the bay son of Ride the Rails had won his first three races, including two group ones, by a combined 28 lengths. He has won three races in the U.S. as well.
Medaglia d'Oro was making his first start at Del Mar after shipping to California from Saratoga for trainer Bobby Frankel, who has won six previous Pacific Classics. Undefeated this year, Medaglia d'Oro went to the lead for Bailey as Candy Ride had the ground break away under him at the start. Candy Ride quickly recovered, but Medaglia d'Oro opened a one-length lead on the backstretch after going :23 2/5 for the opening quarter mile. :46 4/5 for the half and 1:10 4/5 for six furlongs. Approaching the final turn, all four horses moved into contention as four lengths covered the field, but the two favorites soon burst away from the rest of the field.
Continuing to increase the pressure on Medaglia'd Oro into the stretch, Candy Ride edged to the lead near the top of the lane. He took command near the eighth pole and drew away from the tiring favorite.
Candy Ride was coming off of a win by three quarters of a length over Special Ring in the American Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 1/8 mile on the Hollywood Park turf on Independence Day. He had turned in a series of five torrid works prior to Sunday's race.
"Most of the good horses I've had give you a lot in the morning and this horse is like that," McAnally said. "I felt I could get out of him in the mornings whatever I needed to. I wasn't worried that I didn't have a race close to this one. I knew he was giving me what he had in the morning.
McAnally, who has 404 career wins at Del Mar, won his first Pacific Classic with his ninth starter in the 13-year-old race.
"I discussed the race with Julie this morning because I knew there would be a lot of people here and it would be hard to do before the race. I told her that I had watched Jerry Bailey in a lot of races and his style was either to go to the lead or take back a bit and come around on the outside. I told Julie if he went to lead to let him go, but not to let him get too far away. It worked out just that way.
"I'm so happy to win this race for these people, the Craigs. They have given so much to this sport and they certainly deserve this kind of win."
Stevens was in the winner's circle to congratulate Krone and the rest of Candy Ride's winning connections.
Candy Ride, who is from the dam Candy Girl, by Candy Stripes, earned $600,000 to improve his career bankroll to $749,145. Sent off at 2-1, the winner paid $6.40 and $2.80. Medaglia d'Oro returned $2.20. The $2 exacta was worth $12.40. Sunday's attendance of 30,458 was third largest in Pacific Classic history.
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Craig purchases Argentine standout CANDY RIDE
By Thoroughbred Times
Undefeated Candy Ride, most likely to be voted Argentina’s 2002 champion miler, will continue his campaign in the United States after North American owner Sidney Craig reportedly purchased him for a sum of nearly $1-million.
The Argentine-bred son of the Cryptoclearance stallion Ride the Rails has won all three of his career starts by a combined 28 lengths and will be trained in Southern California by Ron McAnally. The Racing Hall of Fame trainer conditioned Paseana (Arg), champion older mare in 1992 and ’93, who was acquired and campaigned by Craig.
Earlier in the week, McAnally had been on hand in Argentina to observe Candy Ride's final workout before his scheduled start in the Saturday's Gran Premio Miguel A. Martinez de Hoz (Arg-G1) from which he was scratched.
Candy Ride broke his maiden by 12 lengths over the Palermo dirt course and later exceeded expectations by winning comfortably the Gran Premio San Isidro (Arg-G1) on October 12 and Joaquin S. de Anchorena (Arg-G1) at the same track on December 14, each by eight lengths, while covering the mile in 1:31.01 and 1:32.16, respectively.
Bred by Haras Abolengo, Candy Ride is out of the unraced Candy Stripes mare Candy Girl, a full sister to Argentine classic winner City West (Arg).—Michael Burns and Diego Mitagstein
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/search/searchdetail.asp?Section=&RecordNo=30164
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