The Sid and Jenny Craig Trust’s Sidney’s Candy, whose romp in the
Santa Anita Derby (GI) was the most recent of three straight graded
stakes victories, turned heads Saturday morning at Churchill Downs with
a strong five furlong work – the colt’s first serious training move
since he arrived at the historic home of the Kentucky Derby Presented
by Yum! Brands (GI) on Tuesday.
Trainer John Sadler’s homebred son of Candy Ride covered the
distance in company with stablemate Via Verde in :59.80, the
second-fastest move of 18 at the distance. Exercise rider Lupillo
Alferez was aboard as Sidney’s Candy started the work about 2 ½-lengths
back of his workmate and well in front of his partner in splits of
:12.60, :24.80; :36.20 and :48. He galloped out six furlongs in
1:12.80 and 7/8ths in 1:27.40. Via Verde completed the distance in
1:00.80.
Sidney’s Candy worked in the first special training session at
Churchill Downs for Derby and Oaks contenders. A 15-minute period is
being dedicated exclusively to those horses immediately after the
mid-session break for track maintenance.
The Southern California-based Sadler was not at Churchill Downs for
the work, but assistant Larry Benavidez looked on from the Clubhouse
and had good news to report to his boss.
“It gave me some goose bumps this morning,” said Benavidez. “I had
[Bob] Baffert up there with me at the finish line and I could tell that
he was interested. That work was phenomenal.”
Although Sidney’s Candy has scored front-running wins in all three
of this year’s s takes victories, but Benavidez said Saturday’s move
provided a glimpse of the versatility he believes the speedy colt
possesses.
"When he broke his maiden in his first race, he was off the pace,”
Benavidez said. “He’s not really a speed horse. He can rate; he shuts
it down pretty easily. He’s a smart horse and actually kind of acts
like an older horse. Today was helpful in that being prepared for the
Derby he can lay second or third. He passed with flying colors today.”
A short time later, Alferez was in the saddle aboard Sadler’s Santa
Anita Oaks (GI) winner and Kentucky Oaks candidate Crisp as the
daughter of El Corredor worked six furlongs in 1:15.20. Michael
Talla’s filly covered the distance in fractional times of :12 40,
:24.60, :37, :50, and 1:02.40. Crisp galloped out seven furlongs in
1:28.60.
"I drilled her hard at Hollywood Park last Friday in 1:12 and change
so I wasn’t looking for a real fast work, just a stamina-building
work,” Benavidez said. “She worked really nice today. Lupillo said he
really couldn’t pull her up. She’s steady. She wants to go long, go
long and go long. She’ll work next Friday and run the following Friday.”