Sidney’s Candy, who set a course record when winning the
La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 14 at Del Mar, will
make his first start on the turf at Hollywood
Park in the $150,000 Oak
Tree Mile Saturday.
The
Mile, which attracted six other entrants, is one of two Breeders” Cup “Win and
You’re In’’ Challenge races on the Saturday card at Oak Tree/Hollywood Park.
Sprinters
will be spotlighted in the other – the $250,000 Ancient Title Stakes, which
will be run at six furlongs over Cushion Track.
Owned
by The Craig Family Trust of breeder Jenny Craig and trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy, a
3-year-old Candy Ride colt out of the Storm Cat mare Fair Exchange, was a
smashing winner in his first on grass nearly two months ago.
After
being involved in an early duel with Macias, Sidney’s Candy opened up a 13 length
advantage at one point before prevailing by 5 ½ lengths over Kid Edward. The
final time of 1:39.52 for the 1 1/16 miles eclipsed the record of 1:39.67 set
by Mea Domina in 2006.
The
Oak Tree Mile, a Grade II which will be run for the 25th time, will
mark Sidney’s
Candy initial try against older rivals. He has won five of nine and earned
$803,560.
Only
two 3-year-olds – Fantastic Fellow (1997) and War Chant (2000) - have won the
race.
Victor’s
Cry will be looking for his third win in four tries on the Hollywood Park
turf.
A
5-year-old son of Street Cry out of the Clever Trick mare Short Time owned by
Equilete Stable and trained by Eoin Harty, Victor’s Cry was a winner the last
time he raced here.
The
Virginia bred
scored a 21-1 upset in the Shoemaker Mile, a Grade I, on May 31. He has five
wins in 19 attempts with a bankroll of $411,021.
In
terms of local turf victories, the most accomplished member of the field is
Liberian Freighter.
A
5-year-old Bertrando gelding out of the Slewpy mare Anachristina owned by
breeder King Edward Racing Stable, Shawn Dugan and Charles Winner, Liberian
Freighter has won three of five on the Hollywood Park
grass.
Trained
by Neil Drysdale, the California
bred has won seven of 21 overall and has earned $481,740. Drysdale has won the
Oak Tree Mile a record five times.
Runner-up
to Enriched in the Del Mar Mile on Aug. 28, Meteore will be seeking the second
Grade II win of his career, having captured the 2009 La Jolla Handicap.
Trained
by Richard Mandella for the Wertheimer brothers, the 4-year-old Pulpit colt and
the Twining mare Meteor Miracle has won three of 15. His bankroll is $244,276.
Like
Liberian Freighter, Colgan’s Chip is a California
bred. Owned by Green Lantern Stables LLC and trained by Jenine Sahadi, the
5-year-old Cee’s Tizzy gelding out of the Theatrical mare Leaning Tower
has won four of 11 and earned $182,712. He will be making his first appearance
in a graded race.
Completing
the field are Blue Chagall, who was supplemented for $3,000, and Tropic Storm.
Trained
by Craig Dollase for West Point Thoroughbreds, Tropic Storm has won six of 15.
The 6-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding out of the Valid Appeal mare Diplomatic
Appeal has earned $379,805.
From
inside out, the field for the Oak Tree Mile:
Meteore,
Rafael Bejarano rides, 119 pounds; Victor’s Cry, Corey Nakatani, 123; Blue
Chagall, David Flores, 119; Colgan’s Chip, Brice Blanc, 119; Sidney’s Candy, Joel Rosario, 120; Tropic
Storm, Russell Baze, 119 and Liberian Freighter, Martin Garcia, 121.
Cost
of Freedom will try to become the first two time winner of the Ancient Title, a
Grade I which will be run for the 28th time.
Owned
by Gary and Cecil Barber and trained by Sadler, Cost of Freedom won in a stakes
record 1:07.53 in 2008.
Claimed
by his current connections for $50,000 on July 28, 2008 at Del Mar, the 7-year-old Cee’s Tizzy gelding
and the Moscow Ballet mare Freedom Dance has won four of nine since the claim.
Overall, he is 8-for-17 with earnings of $122,600.
The
field also includes defending Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Dancing in Silks.
Trained
by Carla Gaines for owner Ken Kinakin, the 5-year-old Black Minnaloushe gelding
out of the Royal and Regal mare Lemhi Love is winless in three starts since his
25-1 stunner in the Breeders’ Cup last Nov. 7 at Santa Anita.
A
winner twice in four races over Cushion Track, Dancing in Silks has won seven
of 16 and banked $1,474,702.
Smiling
Tiger, who defeated a troubled Cost of Freedom in the Bing Crosby Handicap on
Aug. 1 at Del
Mar, is the lone 3-year-old in the field.
Trained
by Jeff Bonde for owners Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz, the Hold That Tiger
colt out of the Cahill Road
mare Shandra Smiles has not been worse than third in eight career starts. He’s
won four times and earned $369,064.
In
his most recent appearance at Hollywood
Park, Smiling Tiger won
the Lazaro Barrera Memorial on May 22. He would be the fourth 3-year-old to win
the Ancient Title, joining Groovy (1996), P.T.’s Grey Eagle (2004) and Idiot
Proof (2007).
E
Z’s Gentleman is looking for his second Grade I of the year, having won the
Triple Bend Handicap on July 10 at Hollywood
Park. Owned by Arnold
Zetcher and trained by Bob Baffert, the 5-year-old son of Yankee Gentleman and
the Distinctive Pro mare Tensie’s Pro has four victories in 16 outings. He has
earned $329,711.
Completing
the field are Supreme Summit, a winner in his comeback on Sept. 5 at Del Mar
when debuting for trainer Mike Puype, Gato Go Win, who won the restricted
Pirate’s Bounty on Sept. 8 at Del Mar, New Bay, who was sixth of seven in the
Pat O’Brien Handicap 13 days after being claimed for $40,000 and Truest Legend.
From
inside out, the lineup for the Ancient Title: Supreme Summit, Rafael Bejarano
rides, 124 pounds; Gato Go Win, Corey Nakatani, 124; Truest Legend, Martin
Pedroza, 124; New Bay, David Flores, 124; E Z’s Gentleman, Martin Garcia, 124;
Cost of Freedom, Alonso Quinonez, 124; Smiling Tiger, Russell Baze, 123 and
Dancing in Silks, Joel Rosario, 124.
The
Oak Tree Mile is the fifth of nine races. The Ancient Title is the eighth. Post
time Saturday is 1 p.m.