The Craig Family Trust's brilliant Twirling Candy, sent
postward the prohibitive 1-5 favorite on the basis of his perfect
three-for-three racing record, came through as expected Sunday in the $300,000
Del Mar Derby but only after a
stewards' inquiry pertaining to an incident leaving the clubhouse turn of the
mile and one-eighth grass race.
Seemingly on cruise control while on an easy lead for jockey
Joel Rosario, Twirling Candy bore out badly entering the backstretch,
interfering with and carrying out 12-1 longshot Summer Movie, piloted by Victor
Espinoza.
Rosario was able to regain control of Twirling Candy who
quickly asserted himself to continue on the lead. The talented son of Candy
Ride led the way into the final straightaway and pulled away impressively to
win by 3 1/4 lengths. His final time of 1:46.96 included a final furlong in a
blazing :11.29 seconds.
Jairzihno, a 33-1 outsider under Patrick Valenzuela, was
second, a half-length in front of Royal F J, with Fantastic Pick fourth in the
field of six three-year-olds.
Summer Movie finished sixth and last, beaten almost twelve
lengths.
After viewing videotape of the incident involving the winner
and Summer Movie, the stewards ruled that the original result would stand.
Twirling Candy, trained by John Sadler, earned $180,000 with
his fourth win, increasing his bankroll to $294,900. On opening day of the Del
Mar season, he won the Oceanside Stakes. To his backers in a crowd of 17,805, he paid $2.40, $2.20 and $2.10. Because
of heavy wagering to show on the winner, there was a minus pool of $60,470.19.
Jairzihno returned $10 and $5.40, while Royal F J paid $4.80
to show.
In supporting features Sunday, Zayat Stables' Moon de French
and jockey Martin Garcia led from start to finish to win the $79,475 Adoration
Stakes, while Rosario picked up his second added-money success of the afternoon
aboard a 9-10 favorite, highly-regarded Switch, in the $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for three-year-old
fillies.
Moon de French won by almost two lengths over Dance to My
Tune, with Silver Swallow third in a field of seven older fillies and mares.
Moon de French paid $14 after running the mile on the main track in 1:36.38.
Switch was a convincing 3 1/4-length victress in the Torrey
Pines, as Hard Way Ten was second and Ellafitz third. Switch, also trained by
Sadler, stepped the mile on the main track in 1:36.25 and returned $3.80.
Rosario won his third race of the day on Silent Soul in the
ninth to move back into a tie with archrival Rafael Bejarano, who doubled, for
the top spot in the jockey standings at 51 victories each with two days
remaining of the 2010 meeting. Racing will be conducted Monday, Labor Day, with
the first race at 2 p.m. The season will conclude Wednesday.