Calder: Candy Coded Kisses shocks in Desert Vixen; Two T’s at Two B stays unbeaten in Dr. Fager

Candy Coded Kisses and Two T’s at Two B provided the long and the short of things for horseplayers Saturday at Calder, capturing the opening divisions of the 2012 Florida Stallion series, the $75,000 Desert Vixen and Dr. Fager stakes.

Candy Coded Kisses rose up from the claiming ranks to register a $51.40 upset in the Desert Vixen, while the undefeated, odds-on favorite Two T’s at Two B returned just $3.20 for his popular victory in the Dr. Fager. Both races were decided at six furlongs.

Candy Coded Kisses was defeated 10 lengths racing under a $25,000 claiming tag in her debut and then rebounded to defeat males for twice that price winning her maiden two weeks later. She stalked the pace from the outset of the Desert Vixen under jockey Cecilio Penalba, shook free in early stretch, and was never seriously threatened thereafter to post a convincing four-length decision over the 6-5 favorite and previously unbeaten Putyourdreamsaway. So Blessed was third.

Candy Coded Kisses, a daughter of Omega Code, is owned in partnership by Elsaida and Easton DeSouza and trained by Easton DeSouza. Her final time for six furlongs was 1:12.27.

While Candy Coded Kisses’s victory could be classified as a shocker, there was nothing surprising about the way Two T’s at Two B continued his winning ways with an easy 3 3/4-length decision over the slow starting Dixie High in the Dr. Fager. Billios Boy was third. The Dr. Fager was the third one-sided triumph for the homebred Two T’s at Two B in as many starts.

Owned by Gil Campbell and trained by Kathleen O’Connell, Two T’s at Two B covered six furlongs in 1:11.68 under regular rider Eduardo Nunez.