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RACING NEWS
QROOI Bonus Futurity
SOUR CANDY
Mby John Moorehouse
aking just his second career start, Sour Candy
secured his first stakes victory, taking first place in the 300-yard $20,938 QROOI Bonus Futurity on Sept. 14 at Ajax Downs.
Richard and Linda Wincikaby home-bred Sour Candy, a two-year-old chestnut gelding who went off as the heavy favorite at less than even-money odds at post time. Sour Candy is one of several talented two- year-olds currently in the stable of trainer Michelle Woodley. Two of her other trainees, Silver Lynning and Firstprize Charlotte, hold wins in this year’s versions of the Ontario Bred Futurity and Ontario Sired Futurity, respectively.
Sour Candy made his debut in the trials for the Ontario Bred Futurity, winning his heat but not running in the stakes final. He showed no signs of rust here–breaking on top from the 3-gate, leading by a length at the first call, and maintaining that margin at every remaining call to win the race by daylight.
Tony Phillips was aboard for the trip, which was completed in :15.770 for an 82 speed index. The futurity victory brought home an $8,460 payday that improved Sour Candy’s total bankroll to $13,338.
Sour Candy was foaled out of Tayter To The Top, a lightly-raced 2012 mare.
A Shades Of Cold (Cold Hard Dash-Sassy Shades of Gray) finished second for owner Amelie Aubut
and trainer Jason Pascoe. Ismael Mosquera had the riding assignment. Another Pascoe trainee, Maximize (Ivory James-Easily Holland) made a steady run for third. The gelding is owned by Belinda Taggart and had J.B. Botello in the irons. The remaining order of finish was One Fabulous Wave (One Fabulous Eagle- Volcoms Wave), Had To Be Ivy (Ivory James-Had To Be Fandango), Aquatica (Moonin The Eagle-Con, SW Anninilator (Ethics Aside-Rockin Miss Kitty), Walthruivory (Ivory James-This Fire Is Fast), and Kefla (Heza Fast Rogue-Red Brizia).
QROOI Distance Series #2
HAD TO BE IVORY
Tby Tracy Gantz
wo-time Canadian Champion Had To Be Ivory
staked his claim to a third title when he broke Ajax Downs’ 440-yard track record in winning the Sept. 21 QROOI Distance Series #2.
Undefeated in four starts this year, Had To Be Ivory went off as the odds-on favorite.
Ridden by Josh Scott, the 7-year-old broke in second place from the rail and immediately went to the front. Streakinlilwagon tried to match strides early, but Had To Be Ivory pulled away from the field and won by a length.
His time of :21.410 was good for a 112 speed index and broke the previous track record of :21.520 set by Mitford in 2013.
Had To Be Ivory was winning his 13th lifetime stakes. He brought his overall record to 21 wins in 27 starts, with three seconds, two thirds, and one fourth. His stakes wins include three Picov Maturities and three wins in Distance Series events.
Bryn Robertson trains Had To Be Ivory for owners Carol and Jaime Robertson, who bred the gelding
in Ontario, Canada, from Had To Be Fandango. Racing for the Robertsons, Had To Be Fandango won the 2011 Maple Leaf Derby. She has produced four starters, all winners.
Jason Pascoe trained second-place finisher Streakinlilwagon (Fast Prize Jordan-La Jollas Fortune) and third-placed Eye Live For Candy (A Revenant- Eyesa Candy Maker). GFR Equine Services owns and bred Streakinlilwagon, a three-time stakes winner who was ridden by Brian Bell. Ismael Mosqueira rode Eye Live For Candy for owner Milena Kwiecien. Eye Live For Candy was coming off four consecutive wins, including two stakes.
Completing the field were Spy For The Senate (Louisiana Senator-Corona Spy), Maryland Magic (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Purley Un Social), and SW The Redeemer (Hes Relentless-Rockin Miss Kitty).
Lip Chip LLC Stakes
HIS TIME TO DEAL
Mby Michael Compton
ake it 5 stakes wins–and 3 this season–for His
Time To Deal. The 4-year-old gelding scored his latest victory in stakes company on Sept. 24 at Lone Star Park in the 350-yard $59,000 Lip Chip LLC Stakes.
His Time To Deal improved to 8-1-3 in 18 starts. The $33,630 first-place share of the purse increased his total earnings over the quarter-million milestone to $255,048 for owner/breeder Pete Scarmardo.
A John Stinebaugh trainee, His Time To Deal has reached the winner’s circle in 3 of his past 4 outs–all of them stakes. He won the Willie Hickman Memorial at Sam Houston in June and the Retama Park Championship Challenge in his most recent prior
out. He’s positioned for another big payday on Oct.
23 at Horseshoe Indianapolis; his victory at Retama qualified him for the Bank of America Challenge Championship-G1 with an estimated $300,000 purse.
Breaking from the 3-gate, His Time To Deal was running a close second at the first call, then moved into the lead and was in front by a head going into the stretch. Jockey Ali Rivera urged His Time To Deal to a big finish; he led by a 1/2-length as he reached the wire, finishing the race in :17.576 for a 97 speed index.
Scarmardo bred His Time To Deal out of Lady Lilia, a 2009 mare who logged one win in 10 total starts as a competitor.
Blazin The Moon (Moonin The Eagle-Cindys First CD), an 18-1 underdog, surprised in 2nd for La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC, trainer Rolando Almanza & jockey Ricardo Garza-Cruz. Ima Catboy (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Jess Goldiggers) was third for Sunset Well Services, Inc, trainer Jorge Valenzuela & jockey Francisco Giles. Won Famous Dash (Giorgino-Lil Famous Dash), Jesslightninglegs (Dash Master Jess-Lovely Legs), El Tartanero Jess (Apollitical Jess-Darling Corona), Wagon Load Of Corona (Bogart-Miss Perrys Wagon), Tempting Knockout (Tempting Dash-Passem Up Perry) & Biden Record (Pool-Shesa Crazy Chick) followed.
Ajax Downs • $20,938
300 yards • :15.770 • si 82
Good Reason SA
Jess Good Candy
SOUR CANDY, ‘20-g.
Jess Send Candy
Tres Seis
Tayter To The Top
Daring Destination
Lone Star Park • $59,000
350 yards • :17.576 • si 97
Game Patriot
Dealafly
First Down Dash Lady Tenaya
Dealagame
HIS TIME TO DEAL, ‘18-g. Lady Lilia
Ajax Downs • $15,852
440 yards • :21.410 • si 112 • Ntr
Corona Cartel
Dashin Follies
Hadtobenuts
Ivory James
HAD TO BE IVORY, ‘15-g.
Had To Be Fandango
Grim Fandango
210 SPEEDHORSE October 2022
Clive Cohen
Clive Cohen
Dustin Orona Photography