Saratoga Picks | Evan Shipman Handicap 2024

Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Maxis Stable, and John Huber’s Maker’s Candy will look to secure his second career stakes win in Friday’s $125,000 Evan Shipman, a one-mile handicap out of the Wilson Chute for New York-breds 3-year-olds and up, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Evan Shipman is slated as Race 2 on Friday’s 10-race program which also features the $125,000 Union Avenue in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

The 4-year-old Twirling Candy colt is trained by Mike Maker and has done most of his running at Aqueduct Racetrack but does have two tries over the Saratoga oval, including a third-place effort last out in the off-the-turf state-bred Kingston on June 9 and a fourth to returning rival Drake’s Passage in last year’s state-bred Albany.

Last out, Maker’s Candy stalked the pace in the one-mile Kingston after bobbling at the break. He made a wide move down the stretch and fell a neck short of second place to Disarmed, but both were some five-lengths behind the victorious Spirit of St Louis.

“It was a sloppy track last time. He probably didn’t like it too much. I prefer a fast track for him. We were hoping it would come off – and it did – but still to no avail for us. He ran a good race against a good horse,” Maker said.

Maker’s Candy, winner of the state-bred Mike Lee, is one of two horses in the field with experience out of the Wilson Chute and has a field-best 100 Beyer at the one-mile distance. He carries a record of 15-5-2-2 with $368,410 in earnings and is 4-8 at the distance with three other on-the-board finishes.

Maker’s Candy will break from post 5 carrying 121 pounds under Luis Saez.

Robert S. Evans’ Drake’s Passage, who was off the board in the Whitney Day finale, finished a valiant third to Next in the Grade 2 Brooklyn on July 5 at Belmont at the Big A. That was the colt’s first attempt at open stakes company.

Prior to that effort, the 4-year-old Christophe Clement trainee annexed the 1 1/8-mile Commentator for New York-breds by four-lengths in a hand ride during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga over a muddy track, matching his career best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

Clement said he was pleased with the effort in the Brooklyn.

“We took on a big task the other day running against Next, but he ran a gallant race in defeat,” Clement said.

Clement trained the sire of Drake’s Passage, Tonalist, for Mr. Evans to a Grade 1 Belmont Stakes win as well as two Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cups and the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.

“He is a very neat horse. He was bred by Mr. Robert Evans, who we campaigned Tonalist for, and Drake’s Passage is the closest resemblance to Tonalist in terms of his offspring, so it is very fun,” Clement said.

Drake’s Passage, assigned 126 pounds, will exit post 3 in rein to Manny Franco.

Donegal Surges, a 4-year-old colt for Donegal Racing conditioned by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, looks to go one better than his last effort when second to Drake’s Passage in the Commentator.

The son of Candy Ride sat just behind Drake’s Passage throughout, sitting as close as a half-length back, but the distance between the two rivals only widened and he was ultimately beaten four-lengths in the end.

That effort earned a career best 93 Beyer and was the first time stretching out past seven-furlongs. Donegal Surges was a debut winner here in August 2022 and put together a strong juvenile campaign that included two state-bred stakes placings. The colt missed his 3-year-old campaign but has strung together five races this year dating to January, going 5-2-0-1 with his two wins coming in state-bred allowance company.

The colt has been working steadily since the Commentator over the Saratoga main track, most recently going four-furlongs in 50.88 seconds. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will have the mount from post 1 carrying 123 pounds.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart will send out Ten Strike Racing’s homebred stakes winner Whittington Park. The 5-year-old Midnight Lute horse was third in the Commentator last out.

Whittington Park previously tried his hand at graded stakes company, running fourth in the Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets in April and sixth in the Grade 3 Westchester in May, both at the Big A. His stakes win came in the February 24 Haynesfield going a one-turn mile against fellow state-breds at Aqueduct where he prevailed by a half-length while closing from off the pace.

Whittington Park carries a 6-1-6 record in 20 starts with $380,435 in career earnings into this race. He will break from post 6 carrying 124 pounds with returning rider Kendrick Carmouche in the saddle.

Rounding out the Saratoga field is LSU Stable’s Bank Frenzy [post 4, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds] for conditioner Rudy Rodriguez and the Linda Rice trainee Sheriff Bianco for owner A. Bianco Holding Limited, who breaks from post 2 carrying 122 pounds with Jose Ortiz in the irons. Sheriff Bianco is cross-entered in Thursday’s John Morrissey.