Defeated at 2-5 in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap May 7, Sidney’s Candy will try to make amends when he returns to
the turf in the $150,000 American Handicap Saturday at Hollywood Park.
A Grade II, the American has been switched from its
traditional slot on July 4 and shortened to a mile for its 72nd
renewal. It is the first time the race has been run at a distance other than 1
1/8 miles since Noor won going 10 furlongs in 1950.
Owned by breeder Jenny Craig and trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy finished 1
¼ lengths behind Crown of Thorns in the LeRoy in his first start of 2011. A
4-year-old son of Candy Ride and the Storm Cat mare Fair Exchange, Sidney’s Candy has won
six of 12. He will become a millionaire with a victory Saturday. His bankroll
is $923,560.
If Sidney’s Candy, who has won once in two outings on turf –
a decisive score in the La Jolla Handicap last Aug. 14 at Del Mar – is
successful in the American, he would provide Sadler with his second victory in
the race. Sadler won with outsider Whatsthescript in 2008.
Sidney’s Candy, whose most lucrative win came in the 2010
Santa Anita Derby, isn’t the only Grade I winner in the field. The Usual Q.T.,
who won the 2009 Hollywood Derby and the 2010 Eddie Read at Del
Mar, will aim for his third win in five tries over the Hollywood Park
turf.
Trained by Jim Cassidy for a partnership that includes
Michael Nentwig and Don Van Kempen, The Usual Q.T. is 8-for-21 with a bankroll
of $1,495.240. He is hoping to end a six race losing streak as he is winless
since taking the Read last July 24.
Liberian Freighter will be seeking his second stakes win of
the Spring/Summer meet and his third victory in a row for trainer Neil Drysdale,
who has three American wins – Man From Eldorado (1992), Silver Wizard (1995)
and Labeeb (1996).
A 6-year-old gelded son of Bertrando and the Slewpy mare
Anachristina, the California bred won the
Arcadia Handicap, a Grade II, April 9 at Santa Anita, then returned 15 days
later to take the Inglewood Handicap, a Grade III, at Hollywood Park.
Bred by the late Ed Nahem’s King Edward Racing Stable and
owned by the Estate of King Edward, Shawn Dugan (Drysdale’s wife) and Charles
Winner, Liberian Freighter has won 10 of 27 and earned $733,740.
Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, who has won the American
four times, will be represented by Goldwaki. Owned by breeders Wertheimer and
Frere, the 4-year-old German bred will be making his first start in the United States.
Campaigned in France in 2009 and 2010, the son of
Dalakhani and the Caerleon mare Gold Round has four wins in eight starts and
has earned $176,715. Goldwaki has been idle since finishing fourth in the Prix
Chaudenay, a Group II, last Oct. 2 at Longchamp.
The most recent of McAnally’s wins in this race was with
Candy Ride in 2003.
Leroy’s Dynameaux, whose lone graded victory came in the
2010 Will Rogers over this turf course, has won twice in nine outings for
breeder Ellenay Racing, Inc. and trainer Mark Glatt. The 4-year-old gelded son
of Leroidesanimaux and the Dynaformer mare Dyna Peak
has banked $132,310.
Smokey Lonesome, who has never competed in a graded race on
grass, has won three of 11 for Bruce Chandler and Stewart Tsujimoto and trainer
Art Sherman. A 5-year-old Teton
Forest gelding out of the
Alysheba mare Exclusive Symbol, Smokey Lonesome has earned $146,610.
Defeated as the favorite in an optional claimer May 8,
Norvsky will make his second graded stakes appearance for a partnership
including owner-breeders Bud and Judy Johnston and Robert Riggio and trainer
Don Warren.
A 5-year-old Vronsky gelding out of the Flying Paster mare
Fimbrelith, Norvsky has won three of 10 and earned $161,838. He was fourth in
the Arcadia in
his graded debut.
Ryehill Dreamer will try to give trainer Julio Canani his
second American win Saturday. A 5-year-old gelded son of Catcher In The Rye out
of the Rainbows for Life mare No Way, the Irish bred has won four of 11. Owned
by Marsha Naify, he has earned $206,807. He finished second, beaten by a
half-length, in the Inglewood.
Canani won this event with Bayamo in 2004.
The American is the
eighth of nine races Saturday. Post time is 1 p.m.
From inside out, the field for the 72nd American
Handicap: Ryehill Dreamer, Edwin Maldonado-Alicea rides, 116 pounds; Liberian
Freighter, Martin Garcia, 120; Smokey Lonesome, Joe Talamo, 115; The Usual
Q.T., Victor Espinoza, 121; Norvsky, Chantal Sutherland, 114; Goldwaki, Brice
Blanc, 117; Sidney’s Candy, Joel Rosario, 123 and Leroy’s Dynameaux, Rafael
Bejarano, 114.