Craig
Family Trust's Twirling Candy, the 4-5 favorite of the largest crowd in Del Mar
history -- 45,309 -- on opening-day of the 2010 Del Mar racing season, was
everything advertised and then some as he cruised to an impressive triumph in
the featured $112,500 Oceanside Stakes for three-year-olds at a mile on the
infield grass course.
Twirling Candy, an unbeaten son of 2003 Pacific
Classic hero Candy Hero, stalked the early pace in third position until
entering the stretch where he surged to the lead, overhauling the speedy Macias
and then drawing out to win by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Joel Rosario.
Macias, with Martin Garcia aboard, held on gamely to
be second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Gallant Gent, with Just Magic
fourth in the field of ten.
Twirling Candy, conditioned by John Sadler,
accomplished the distance in a quick
1:34.69, running his final eighth in less than 12
seconds under a hand ride by Rosario.
The winner, scoring his third victory, returned $3.60,
$3.20 and $2.60 while earning $67,500. Runner-up Macias, second choice in the
betting at 7-2, paid $3.80 and $3, while Gallant Gent returned $4.20 to show.
Victor Espinoza was the riding star of the day as he
booted in three winners, sweeping the daily double on North
Fork in the opener and Valiant Effort in the second and then
taking the sixth aboard Ruffled Feathers.
Because there were no perfect tickets in the Pick Six,
there will be a carryover of $164,721 on Thursday's eight-race program.
Post-time is 2 p.m.
The previous single day attendance record at Del Mar was registered a
year ago when an inaugural crowd of 44,907 turned out.