Mark Grier's stakes winner Candidate, undefeated in three starts on turf, steps up to graded company looking to extend his win streak to four races in the Feb. 4 $175,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.
A son of Exaggerator, Candidate began his career last fall at Laurel Park running seventh in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight originally carded for the grass but contested over a sloppy main track. He rebounded with a front-running 2 1/4-length triumph in a similar spot going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.
Candidate hasn't lost since, rolling to a 4 1/2-length optional claiming allowance score Dec. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs to cap his juvenile season, and opening his sophomore campaign with a 1 3/4-length victory in the one-mile Dania Beach Stakes Jan. 7 at Gulfstream, also in gate-to-wire fashion.
"When you go a mile and an eighth for the first time on a sloppy track for a 2-year-old, it's kind of a lot to ask. He really folded at the quarter pole. I wish that he would have hung on a little longer, but he's been very impressive breezing on the Tapeta at Fair Hill when we had him there. On the dirt he seems like he levels off all the time," trainer Arnaud Delacour said.
"He might be a horse that gets stronger with time. He's only a May foal and we're only in February, so that's early. He's got time to improve. I think he's so efficient on the turf right now that I wouldn't change anything," he added. "We definitely like him and what he has accomplished in the last three months pretty much has been pretty amazing."
Candidate was sent off at more than 7-1 in the Dania Beach, but was able to control the pace and took a three-length lead into the stretch with plenty left to hold off a late rally from Major Dude. Tyler Gaffalione rides back from the rail in a field of eight.
"He was not pressured which always helps. In saying that he kept going and he galloped out very well, so I don't think that the extra sixteenth of a mile is going to be an issue but we're hoping for a good performance," Delacour said. "He's doing well right now."
Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude returns in the Kitten's Joy as one of two horses from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, along with Three Diamonds Farm's Dude N Colorado. Major Dude started his career on the dirt, winning his unveiling and running third in the Sapling over his first three starts before capturing the 1 1/16-mile Pilgrim Stakes (G2T) over a yielding course at Aqueduct Racetrack in his grass debut.
From there, Major Dude was pointed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), where he raced in midpack before finishing ninth, and kicked off his season running second as the favorite in the Dania Beach.
Bred in England, Dude N Colorado returns to the grass after a front-running 3 1/4-length off-the-turf maiden special weight triumph Dec. 24 at Gulfstream, contested on the all-weather Tapeta course. He'll be making his stakes debut, having run third in a maiden event on the Aqueduct turf in mid-October.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Major Dude from Post 4, while Luis Saez will ride Dude N Colorado from Post 6.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 4, 2023, Race 9Entries: Kitten's Joy S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Candidate (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Arnaud Delacour 3/1 2 2Souzak (FR) Joel Rosario 120 H. Graham Motion 8/1 3 3Moon Cat (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Christopher Davis 15/1 4 4Major Dude (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Todd A. Pletcher 5/2 5 5Lights of Broadway (KY) Jose E. Morelos 122 Mark E. Casse 5/1 6 6Dude N Colorado (GB) Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 6/1 7 7Congruent (KY) Edgard J. Zayas 122 Antonio Sano 5/1 8 8Boppy O (FL) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Mark E. Casse 12/1
'Filly of the Future' Malleymoo Steps Up in Sweetest Chant
Calling her a 'filly for the future,' the connections of stakes-placed Malleymoo are set to step her up for her season and graded stakes debut in Saturday's $175,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.
Rockingham Ranch, David Bernsen, Talla Racing, and JWS Racing's Malleymoo was a popular winner of her debut last fall in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on the all-weather surface at Dundalk in Ireland, a year after fetching $112,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky October Yearlings sale.
The daughter of English Channel made her stateside debut Dec. 10 in the 7 1/2-furlong Wait a While Stakes over Gulfstream's turf, hesitating at the break but uncorking a late rally that saw her run second by a length to undefeated Junipermarshmallow.
"She came out of the race in great shape," trainer Jack Sisterson said. "We just felt she's a filly for the future and we didn't want to over race her early in her campaign, so we let her climatize more. Sometimes you see those European horses run well first time off the plane and have a bit of a bounce the second time, but we've given her time to get over that and she's doing really well."
Despite the loss, Sisterson was encouraged by the effort shown by Malleymoo, who will retain the services of Leparoux, breaking from Post 3 in a field of nine.
"It's a great post," Sisterson said. "There seems to be a little bit of speed in there. I'm sure Julien will be aware that she broke a little bit slow last time but won't be trying to send her out there. He'll let her get a comfortable break and not be too far back like the last race."
While trainer Todd Pletcher is keeping Junipermarshmallow in the barn, he entered the pair of Alpha Bella and Cairo Consort. Don Alberto Stable's Alpha Bella exits a gutsy neck maiden special weight triumph going one mile Dec. 11 at Gulfstream in her fourth start and first on the grass.
Cairo Consort won the Catch A Glimpse Stakes and was second in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine last summer and fall before being purchased privately by Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing and pointed to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), where she ran third. The Cairo Prince filly was a popular half-length winner of the one-mile Ginger Brew Stakes Jan. 7 at Gulfstream under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
"I thought it was good. Irad seemed to think he had a little something left in the end," Pletcher said. "It was a good effort and hopefully she takes a step forward again. She continues to be a straightforward, professional filly."
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 4, 2023, Race 11Entries: Sweetest Chant S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Sweetlou'sgotaces (KY) Joel Rosario 122 Raymond Handal 4/1 2 2Padma (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 William I. Mott 5/1 3 3Malleymoo (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Jack Sisterson 10/1 4 4Metaphysical (KY) Edgar Perez 118 Jeff A. Hiles 15/1 5 5Alpha Bella (KY) Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 8/1 6 6Bulsara (KY) Leonel Reyes 120 Michael J. Trombetta 15/1 7 7Cairo Consort (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Todd A. Pletcher 2/1 8 8Heavenly Sunday (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Brad H. Cox 5/1 9 9Stephanie's Charm (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Jose M. Jimenez 12/1
