It was a winning Preakness weekend for BSW/Crow private purchases, Margie’s Intention was victorious in the G2 Black Eyed Susan, a private purchase for WinStar Farm, and Candied won the Allaire DuPont Stakes, a private purchase for Bobby Flay.
MARGIE’S INTENTION WINS THE G2 BLACK EYED SUSAN
A severe storm rolled through the Baltimore area on Friday evening, delaying the running of the featured Black Eyed Susan. Less than 45 minutes after the worst of it had passed, the sun did in fact re-emerge, as Pimlico’s track crew worked diligently on the rain-drenched surface. The main event did in fact go on, although the final race on the card, a turf maiden special weight for fillies and mares, was cancelled.
With the horses finally being given the go-ahead at 7 p.m under considerably cooled-down conditions, the field of nine broke cleanly away to commence their nine-furlong trip.
Sunland Park Oaks winner Runnin N Gunnin (Gun Runner) dropped anchor straight out of the gate, as Paris Lily (City of Light) shot to the front with Liam in the Dust (Liam’s Map) in hot pursuit to her inside as Princess Aliyah (Into Mischief) and Moon Cache (Mosler) were about two lengths behind and favored Margie’s Intention (Honor A.P.), making her first start for trainer Brad Cox, tucked in just behind those two. Continuing down the backside, the positions of the top quartet remained relatively unchanged, except for the 5-2 choice who continued to scrape paint in an improved fourth through a :46.38 half. Seemingly with plenty of horse underneath him, Joel Rosario aboard Paris Lily cut the final turn clear of Margie’s Intention and appeared to be on her way to victory. Given a couple of left-handed reminders followed by a right by Flavien Prat, the favorite proved resolute, and despite drifting out late, she got up in the final strides to win by 3/4 of a length over the game Paris Lily. Kinzie Queen (McKinzie) closed with good energy to round out the trifecta.
“Honestly, turning for home it looked like the leader was going very well,” said Prat. “If she could open up on me, I don’t think I was going to make it. But as we turned for home and she swapped leads she kept grinding and it felt like the filly in front didn’t open up on me. when she got going to the eighth pole, I thought I had a chance.”
Cox was equally pleased after the black-type earning race.
“We liked her a good bit,” he said. “Elliott’s [Walden, President and CEO of WinStar Farm] team bought into her [through BSW/Crow Bloodstock] and it all paid off today. Obviously, a big win being a Grade II and we thought she would like the mile and an eighth and she pretty much needed all of it to get there.”
He continued, “Turning for home, I knew she had momentum going forward and I knew the filly on the lead [Paris Lily] had set a pretty solid pace and she was tough to run down. She ran a big race. We haven’t had her that long, but she performed well on an off track this winter. I thought she moved forward today. It was a demanding race; she was under a ride turning for home and she finished the race off. We will ship her back to Kentucky Sunday evening and see how she comes out of it.”
Walden added, “We thought maybe giving her eight weeks and letting her catch up to herself would help her. And she ran super. Distance isn’t a problem, and we’ll see where she takes us from here.”
Fourth going six furlongs in her career debut facing fellow Louisiana-breds in December, the Baron Stable-owned filly finished a well-beaten fourth for Brendan Walsh before bouncing back to air by 11 3/4 lengths while stretching to a mile next time in the Fair Grounds slop Jan. 18. Making it two straight wins, taking the next step up facing allowance foes over that track Feb. 8. The dark bay had to settle for second to Blue Prize (Aurelius Maximus) in the Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Flashy Prize Stakes. and again in the restricted Mar. 22 Crescent City Oaks.
Pedigree Notes:
The third foal out of Playful Dancer, Margie’s Intention holds the distinction of being the first black-type winner for her unraced dam. The 10-year-old mare is also represented by a yearling filly by Drain the Clock and a filly foal by Star Guitar. With Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan score, the filly gives sire Honor A.P. his first graded stakes winner. The Lane’s End stallion is also responsible for Saturday’s Preakness contender Heart of Honor, who is multiple-group placed in the UAE. Second dam SW Dance Hall Days (Seeking Daylight) is a half-sister to GI Prioress winner Cat Moves (Tale of the Cat).
Article adapted From TDN: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/margies_intention_splashes_to_victory_in_rain_delayed_black_eyed_susan/
FAVORED CANDIED WINS THE ALLAIRE DUPONT STAKES
G1 Alcibiades winner, CANDIED returned to the winner’s circle on Preakness weekend taking the Allaire DuPont Stakes, defeating G1 Madison Stakes winner, DAZZLING MOVE by 3 lengths and earning a career best 94 Beyer.
The classy filly weaved her way through horses coming around the final turn and was 3 wide in the stretch, she took the lead in an impressive stretch drive, drawing away to win by 3 lengths.
CANDIED (Candy Ride) broke her maiden at first asking as a 2YO, she stepped up to G1 company in her very next start and won the G1 Alcibiades. She has been off the board only once in her 11 start career. CANDIED was 2nd to the reigning Horse of the Year, THORPEDO ANNA in the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, 2nd by a head in the G1 Alabama, and 3rd to THORPEDO ANNA and this year’s La Troienne Stakes (G1) winner RAGING SEA in the Breeders Cup Distaff.
“It was nice to see her back in the winner’s circle,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We had a beautiful trip, saved ground around the first turn and (jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) bided his time around the second turn and it looked like when he got her in the clear, she finished well.”
Making just her third career start outside of graded company, Candied lived up to her class with a mid-stretch move to overcome Dazzling Move in 1:50.47. Her record improves to 4-2-4 from 11 starts with $1,253,488 in earnings.
Candied was a BSW/Crow private purchase for Bobby Flay last year ahead of the G1 Breeders Cup Distaff. She is owned by Eclipse Partners and Bobby Flay and was bred by Buck Pond Farm.
Resource: Bloodhorse Daily https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/284563/candied-gets-back-to-winners-circle-in-allaire-du-pont#:~:text=After%20a%20series%20of%20near,Secret%20Stakes%20at%20Monmouth%20Park.
