Breeders' Cup Ollie’s Candy Sweet as Sugar in Clement Hirsch July 28, 2019 Breeders' Cup Ollie’s Candy Sweet as Sugar in Clement Hirsch July 28, 2019 By: Curtis "Magic" Kalleward twitteremail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article DEL MAR, CA – Paul and Karen Eggert’s homebred Ollie’s Candy could not have transitioned to the dirt surface any better than when she ran sweet as sugar in the stretch to win Sunday’s $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. The Clement Hirsch is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, with Ollie’s Candy receiving an automatic berth in the Longines Distaff at Santa Anita Park this November. ( Content Continues Below Ad ) Breaking from post 4 under Kent Desormeaux at 4/1 odds, Ollie’s Candy found herself forwardly-placed and was able to outleg the inside-running 6/5 favorite Secret Spice to lead into the clubhouse turn. Queen Bee to You kept close watch along her outside as she posted opening fractions of :23.05 and :46.68, with the rest of the field several lengths behind. Heading into the far turn, Queen Bee to You began to give way, allowing Ollie’s Candy to remain relaxed as she rounded the corner. Behind her, Secret Spice and Paradise Woods were gaining rapidly, though by the top of the stretch, only Secret Spice posed a threat to the leader. The bettors’ choice soon locked horns with Ollie’s Candy, and at one point, Secret Spice took a slim lead, but Ollie’s Candy refused to yield and fought back. The pair fought step by step the length of the stretch, but at the wire, it was Ollie’s Candy by a head. The John Sadler trainee completed the 1 1/16-mile event over the fast main track in a final time of 1:44.66. “I was just letting her do her thing; reins were dangling,” said Desormeaux, who had never won the Clement Hirsch before today. “At the 1/4 pole, I picked her up and she did the rest. She came again (in the lane). That other mare got in front of us, but my mare is a fighter. She wants to win.” La Force, last year’s runner-up, was unable to turn the tables this year, closing late to take third over a spent Paradise Woods, though she was 5 1/4 lengths behind the top two. A non-threatening Spring in the Wind and an eased Queen Bee to You completed the order of finish. Just a Smidge was scratched. Ollie’s Candy’s victory was her first of 2019 and her second in a graded stakes event, following success in last summer’s Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park. The 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride, most recently second in the Wilshire Stakes (G3), improved her career mark to 8-4-3-0 with $452,151 earned. “She is a really nice filly who ran in some big races here last year for (former trainer) Bill Morey, Jr.,” said Sadler, who has now won five of the meet’s now 13 stakes races, including with Cistron in Saturday’s Bing Crosby Stakes (G1). “She came my way in really good shape and I’ve just kind of carried on for what he did last year. She ran a good race her last start at Santa Anita, came down here and had a bullet work over the track, which showed me she had an affinity for the dirt. A lot of Candy Rides can run on any surface. You don’t give Kent any instructions. You just don’t. So I was surprised to see her in front, but it worked out.” Ollie’s Candy returned $10 to win, $4 to place, and $3.60 to show. Secret Spice brought back $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show, while La Force paid $3 to show.
Kentucky Derby First Look and NHL/NBA Playoff Update | Dudes Who Bet Sports 189 Aaron and Papa Dude discuss the probable for the 150th… Read More
2024 Kentucky Derby Horse Profiles – How Each Horse Can Win | Blinkers Off 662 The Racing Dudes take a look at the contenders of… Read More
Keeneland Pick 5 | The Magic Mike Show 542 The Magic Mike Show guys preview & give their tickets… Read More
NBA & NHL Playoff Previews & Picks | Dudes Who Bet Sports 188 Aaron and Papa Dude discuss OJ Simpson, UConn’s national championship… Read More
2024 Kentucky Derby Top 10 & Rapid-Fire Picks | Blinkers Off 661 The Racing Dudes reveal their Top 10 Kentucky Derby prospects… Read More
Santa Anita Park Picks | Kona Gold Stakes 2024 One of the nation’s leading sprinters, The Chosen Vron, is… Read More
Kentucky Derby 2024 Latest News & Top Contenders | It’s The Final Countdown Aaron discusses the latest 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) news, then… Read More
Fierceness | Get To Know The 2024 Kentucky Derby Contender Jared discusses Fierceness, a contender for the 2024 Kentucky Derby… Read More
Sierra Leone | Get To Know The 2024 Kentucky Derby Contender Jared discusses Sierra Leone, a contender for the 2024 Kentucky… Read More
Catching Freedom | Get To Know The 2024 Kentucky Derby Contender Jared discusses Catching Freedom, a contender for the 2024 Kentucky… Read More