Twirling Candy to be a hot favourite at Hollywood Gold Cup
As if to atone for providing the California division with a leading male, Twirling Candy is being sent to Californian Stakes. If he wins the Grade 2 Californian Stakes he will be the favourite for the Hollywood Gold Cup.
Hollywood Park is home to the Californian Stakes, set to take place on June 4, 2011. The event caters to horses between the ages of three and up.
Twirling Candy is trained by John Sadler. Sadler commented on Twirling Candy’s participation by saying “Twirling Candy actually came out of the Big Cap in good shape physically. He had an abscess on his foot when he came to Hollywood Park but that was taken
care of”.
Twirling Candy, winner of the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes is to race without blinkers for the first time. He missed training because the brown colt developed an abscess in his foot in April. But after showing signs of improvement Twirling Candy started practising
quickly in recent weeks.
Twirling Candy is ready to take on seven other contenders in the field drawn for the $ 150,000 Californian Stakes. The race is run for nine furlongs at the Inglewood Track.
He is to face heavy rivalry from runners, who have all made their mark in the racing field in their own way. These include Setsuko, Honour the Deputy and Soul Candy won the California Cup Classic on October 30, 2010, at Hollywood Park. Setsuko was runner
up in the Big Cap
Californian Stakes first took place in 1954. It was won by Imbros, who set a record of 1 minute and 41 seconds. This record set by him is also a world record for a mile and sixteenth on dirt.
Californian Stakes is considered to be a prep race for the Hollywood Cup. The Grade 1 Hollywood Cup is to take place on July 9, 2011. It is run over a distance of 10 furlongs.
Twirling Candy’s reins in the Californian Stakes will be held by Joel Rosario. The four year old is going for his first win at Hollywood Cushion track.
His first two career wins came in the first two starts of his career. He won the first one in 2009 and the second one in 2010. He has six wins in eight starts and has earned $ 594, 900.
After coming fifth in the March 5, 2011 Santa Anita Handicap, the colt has worked a mile in 1 minute and 38 seconds on May 29, 2011, at Hollywood Park.
The Californian Stakes was last won by Rail Trip in 2010.
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