Today, most racing fans know Candy Ride as a famous stallion, the sire of champions such as Gun Runner, Shared Belief and Game Winner.
But before Candy Ride made his name as a stud, he made an indelible impression as a racehorse. Despite only competing in six races, Candy Ride was never defeated and demonstrated the talent and power of a truly elite racehorse. His ability was never more evident than in the 2003 $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, where he crushed three talented rivals in a record performance that still stands.
The saga began when the Argentinian-bred stallion dominated three races in his home country by a combined margin of 28 lengths. He won the Gran Premio San Isidro and the Gran Premio Joaquin de Anchorena – both races at the highest level against older rivals – by eight lengths each. No one could match Candy Ride’s speed and stamina.
This display of dominance caught the attention of Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally. McAnally is best known as the trainer of two-time Horse of the Year John Henry and has had great success with South American imports. Bayakoa, Paseana, Festin, Ibero and Different from Argentina won championships and Grade 1 races in North America.
McAnally saw Candy Ride as another rising star and convinced owners Sidney and Jenny Craig to buy the colt for $900,000.
The August 25, 2003 edition of Louisville’s The Courier-Journal reported: “At the time, McAnally predicted that Candy Ride would be the horse that would give the Craigs victory in the race they most wanted to win – the Pacific Classic.”
McAnally took his time with Candy Ride, letting him adjust to his new home before entering him in a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claiming race at Hollywood Park on June 7. Although Candy Ride had earned his big wins in Argentina on turf, he handled dirt well, winning his North American debut by three lengths.
A month later, McAnally switched back to the turf with Candy Ride and watched his star colt, not yet four years old, outpace his older rivals to win the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 American Handicap in a brisk 1:46.20 seconds.
With these warm-up runs under his belt, Candy Ride arrived at Del Mar for the Pacific Classic. The 1 ¼-mile race would prove to be his toughest test. Not only would he cover a longer distance, but he would face a small but elite field led by Whitney Handicap and Travers Stakes winner Medaglia d’Oro, the 3-5 betting favorite. Two-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Milwaukee Brew and future Japan Cup Dirt winner Fleetstreet Dancer further bolstered the field.
Unfortunately, the pre-race preparations didn’t go quite as planned. Candy Ride was scheduled to be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, but a week before the race, Stevens was injured in a fall at Arlington Park. Suddenly, Candy Ride found himself without a jockey for the biggest race of his life.
McAnally had to look for a replacement rider at short notice and although he had many options, he ultimately gave the horse to Julie Krone, another Hall of Fame member who was making her comeback after a two-year hiatus.
“Julie is the best rider in California right now,” McAnally said in the August 21, 2003, issue of the Oceanside, Calif. newspaper. North County Times“We could have had any number of riders, but we were very lucky with Julie…”
Before the Pacific Classic, Krone received extensive advice and insight from Stevens on the best way to ride Candy Ride.
“He said, you will never get on a horse like that. This horse is so tricky,” Krone revealed in the North County Times“He said take it to Medaglia d’Oro and they won’t know what happened on the way home.”
Krone took Stevens’ advice to the letter. On a sunny day in Del Mar, 30,458 racing fans gathered to witness the showdown in the 2003 Pacific Classic. When the starting gates opened, Candy Ride got off to a somewhat awkward start, but when the field passed the stands for the first time, Krone ran Candy Ride alongside pacesetter Medaglia d’Oro and powered the favorite through the first quarter mile in :23.40.
Medaglia d’Oro, with Jerry Bailey in the saddle, continued to lead through the first bend and on the back straight, but Candy Ride remained a menacing presence throughout and stayed just off the pace in the increasingly demanding sections of :46.82 and 1:10.95.
Eventually the two favourites met on the final bend. Candy Ride threw down the gauntlet and drew level with Medaglia d’Oro after a tough mile in 1:34.78. Running the fourth quarter in :23.83, Candy Ride offered a challenge that his rival was no match for.
“When (Candy Ride) was over, I knew I was done because Julie still had a lot of horse and my horse gave it everything it was worth,” Bailey said in the Courier Journal.
On the Del Mar track, Krone Candy Ride demanded his best and the son of Ride the Rails gradually pulled away from Medaglia d’Oro. One length, two lengths and finally 3 ¼ lengths separated the two runners at the finish line and Candy Ride flew home in the track record time of 1:59.11.
Candy Ride’s performance was met with great acclaim from both horse experts and handicappers.
“This is a phenomenal horse,” marveled McAnally in Courier Journal“He’s as good as any horse I’ve ever trained.”
“How good a horse is he? Wow! He’s that good,” said Julie Krone, who made history as the first female jockey to win a million-dollar race. “Amazing. He’s a rocket ship.”
“I love his movements,” added McAnally. “He has such long, flowing strides.”
The team that created the ever-popular Beyer Speed Figures agreed and gave Candy Ride an impressive number of 123, the highest number of 2003 and one of the fastest numbers ever recorded by a horse since the numbers were introduced in the Daily Race Form in 1992.
Unfortunately, the Pacific Classic was Candy Ride’s last appearance as a racehorse. Minor problems prevented him from racing again and his retirement was announced in August 2004. The loss for racing was a gain for breeding, as Candy Ride proved to be a phenomenally successful sire, leading all stallions in North America in progeny earnings in 2017.
But sometimes you have to look back and ask yourself, “What could have been.” Twenty-one years later, Candy Ride’s track record still stands and is an unmatched testament to his speed, endurance and talent.
And what about McAnally’s clever announcement – eight months before the big race – that Candy Ride would win the Pacific Classic? He dismissed it casually in the North County Times dated 27 August 2003:
“I’m glad I didn’t have to take back my words.”
Note: This story was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated.
