With Kentucky Derby runner and Swaps Stakes runner-up Sidney's Candy leading the way, eight
3-year-olds will tackle the Jimmy Durante Turf Course Saturday in the 70th
edition of the Grade II, $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.
Sidney's Candy, who will pack high weight of 121 pounds and
spot his foes from two to six pounds, will be trying the turf for the first
time in his eight-race career. He has four wins and two seconds and lifetime
earnings of $713,560. Aside from his 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on
a sloppy Churchill Downs strip, the son of 2003 Pacific Classic champion Candy
Ride, has not been off the board, finishing fourth in his other start.
Set to tackle the John Sadler trainee are Summer
Movie, who was third in the Swaps for trainer Art Sherman and owner George
Krikorian; Alphie's Bet, who has wins in the Grade III Sham Stakes and the Snow
Chief Stakes for trainer Alexis Barba; the Paco Gonzalez-conditioned Face and
an Ace; Golden Itiz, winner of three straight, including Hollywood Park's Grade
III Affirmed Stakes for trainer Ron Ellis; Kid Edward, winner of two straight
turf races for trainer Jim Cassidy; Leroy's Dynameaux, Will Rogers Stakes
winner for trainer Mark Glatt, and Macias, who is 4 for 11 for Hall of Famer
Bob Baffert.
Here's the lineup from the rail, with weights and riders:
Leroy's Dynameaux, 118, Rafael Bejarano; Sidney's Candy, 121, Joel Rosario;
Macias, 118, Martin Garcia; Summer Movie, 116, Victor Espinoza; Kid Edward,
115, David Flores; Face and an Ace, 115, Brice Blanc; Golden Itiz, 118, Patrick
Valenzuela, and Alphie's Bet, 119, Mike Smith.