Breakout Beyers: Candy Man Rocket blasts off

Each week in this space, the top Beyer performances by maiden winners will be featured and analyzed. Click here for a complete archive.

Candy Man Rocket

Jan. 9, 5th race Gulfstream Park, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 85
6f 1:11.28, 1st by 9 1/4 lengths
b. c. 3, Candy Ride – Kenny Lane, by Forestry
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Keeneland November breeding 2018 – $190,000 (RNA); Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $70,000 (RNA); OBS Spring 2-year-old 2020 – $250,000
Owner: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations
Trainer: Bill Mott
Breeder: R.S. Evans

For a colt who was not easy to sell (see “Auctions” above) he didn’t take long to notch an eye-catching maiden win. Caught slop in his debut at Churchill, failing to fire, but broke on top over this fast track and was always in the fight under John Velazquez. Caught the pacesetter at the top of the stretch (three-sixteenths pole in Gulfstream’s case) and quickly opened a big lead under fairly aggressive handling. Clearly much the best, as evidenced by win margin, but the late-running show horse, Blitz to Win, did blow by him early in the gallop-out. The dam, basically allowance class, could maybe get a mile on a good day, though there is more stamina further back in the pedigree. While Candy Man Rocket appears still to be fairly lightly made, his stride length and rhythm through the stretch did suggest a colt who could at least handle a longer one-turn race.

Moraz

Jan. 8, 4th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt62k
Beyer: 79
1M 1:38.47, 1st by 11 lengths
b. f. 3, Empire Maker – Malvinia, by A.P.Indy
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: None
Owner: Don Alberto Stable
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation

You’d think an 11-length Santa Anita maiden winner who beat seven rivals, winning by 11 lengths, might’ve at least crossed into 80-something Beyer territory, but that was not the case here as favored runner-up Peachtree Road regressed from a 70 Beyer in her previous start to a 61 here. Over a dull, tiring surface, the pace in this two-turn mile was very fast and took a heavy toll on the two leaders, who wound up a distant sixth and seventh. Moraz, making her second start following a distant third behind Moonlight d’Oro in a Los Alamitos Race Course maiden mile, tracked the dueling pair from third, and considering how badly they tired, her performance probably was pretty impressive. I say “probably” because no one from farther behind fired at all, which, along with Moraz’s fine performance, led to the massive margin of victory. The filly is not a beautiful traveler, but she moved with efficiency and, having started her career in a two-turn mile, seems like a horse who can gallop a long way. While the immediate family doesn’t sizzle, there is big-picture pedigree power running deep here. Second dam Macoumba won the Group 1 Prix Marcel-Boussac in 1994 and her first foal was the successful sire Malibu Moon. Macoumba’s dam, Maximova, was a Group 1 winner and placed in multiple Classics.

Earls Rock

Jan. 9, 7th race Santa Anita, MdSpWt63k
Beyer: 80
1M turf 1:35.52, 1st by 4 1/4 lengths
b.c.3, Fascinating Rock – Ajaadat, by Shamardal
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: None
Owner: Anthony Fanticola
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Breeder: Newtown Anner Stud

Irish-bred colt debuted at Down Royal in Ireland in September and finished a well-beaten second. That race’s winner, A Case of You, came right back to win the Group 3 Anglesley Stakes over Lipizzaner, who then won a listed stakes and was a solid fourth of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Earls Rock was sold off the debut performance and sent to D’Amato in California, and from all appearances settled in very nicely at Santa Anita. Breaking from the rail in his second start and U.S. debut, he had plenty of pace to settle along the fence behind the leaders, and when tipped out for room past the quarter pole, Earls Rock was full of run. He blasted past the front-runners showing a strong turn of foot, and no one came close to touching him from there, Earls Rock getting his final quarter-mile in a tick under 23 seconds. Has the look of a miler type – and a future stakes horse.

Lamutanaatty

Jan. 9, 3rd race Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 77
6f 1:11.92, 1st by a neck
b.c.3, Into Mischief – Gypsy Lou, by Elusive Quality
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed 2018 – $177,000; Keeneland September yearling 2019 – $700,000
Owner: Shadwell Stable
Trainer: Chad Brown
Breeder: Haymarket Farm

If nothing else the colt looks extremely game, but there appears to be some “else,” if you will. This guy looks pretty big-boned and strong but showed plenty of debut speed going up to contest the early pace under Tyler Gaffalione while racing over a dull strip. Lamutanaatty collared the leader in upper stretch, then was seriously attacked by the Todd Pletcher-trained first-timer Sainthood, who poked his head in front past the furlong grounds. Lamutanaatty never wavered, however, coming back under very strong urging to get the better of his foe in the final 50 yards and win going away, if by a narrow margin, with a decent gallop-out. Looks a solid prospect as the hits just keep on coming for sire Into Mischief.

Jouster

Jan. 10, 11th race Gulfstream, MdSpWt40k
Beyer: 84
1 1/16M Turf 1:39.92, 1st by 8 3/4 lengths
b.f.3, Noble Mission – Playtime, by Street Cry
Noteworthy sibling: None
Auctions: Fasig-Tipton Select Saratoga 2019 – $360,000
Owner: Starlight Racing
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Breeder: St. Elias Stables

New surface, new horse. Second and fifth dirt-sprinting in late summer but going two turns on turf she went to the front and simply aired. Solid pace, including real zip around the far turn, and did it smoothly without pulling too hard, while perhaps the most impressive aspect of her performance was the athleticism cornering into the homestretch while really blowing this race open. Second foal to race from winless dam out of the great Storm Flag Flying, who failed to pass on her vast talent to any of her progeny save the turf stakes horse Revved Up.

Carillo

Jan. 8, 6th race Aqueduct, MdSpWt80k

Beyer: 75
1M 1:39.67, 1st by 2 3/4 lengths
b.c.3, Union Rags – Proper Mad, by Bernardini
Noteworthy siblings: None
Auctions: None
Owner: Estate of Paul Pompa
Trainer: Chad Brown
Breeder: Paul Pompa

Debuted at one mile – and one can see why. Runs like a staying type with a high knee action that takes quite a bit of time to unwind stride to stride. Lacked any sort of speed and was last early, but mildly middle-moved to get within range, rallied wide while under strong urging around the turn, and plugged onward to a going-away victory. Can see why he was left in New York by Chad Brown if for no other reason than he probably wouldn’t be a great fit for Gulfstream-style racing. Would expect to see him at longer distances in the near future.