Candy Aisle gets two-turn test in Sunland Park Oaks

Trainer Todd Fincher will seek to win a fourth consecutive stakes race with Candy Aisle in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks on Sunday before leaving his New Mexico home for the Middle East to run Senor Buscador in next weekend’s $20 million Saudi Cup.

“He’s taken us everywhere,” Fincher said of Senor Buscador.

On Sunday, the barn’s focus will be at Fincher’s home track, which puts on its Sunland Derby Day card featuring six stakes worth $1 million. Fincher has eight starters spread out among five stakes. First post for the 10-race card is 12:25 p.m. Mountain.

The Sunland Oaks will offer its first five finishers points for the Kentucky Oaks on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2. The New Mexico race is being held at a mile instead of its usual 1 1/16 miles because it is being run about five weeks earlier on the calendar.

Candy Aisle is part of a field of six that includes Simply Enchanting, a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Envoutante who ships in off a debut win at Santa Anita; Recharge, a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Finite who is unbeaten in two starts; Raspberry Wine, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner One in Vermillion; and Floating Beauty, a 16-length debut winner at two turns at Delta Downs.

Candy Aisle is making her two-turn debut after taking three straight sprint stakes. The streak started in her second career start in October when she won her maiden in the Manzano Stakes against males at the Downs at Albuquerque. Candy Aisle proceeded to win the Zia Park Princess in November and the Borderplex in January at Sunland.

“She should relish more distance,” Fincher said. “She sure acts like it.”

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Candy Aisle is a daughter of Gun Runner and a half-sister to Offering Plan, a multiple stakes winner of $891,753. Candy Aisle raced over 6 1/2 furlongs last out in the Borderplex.

“She did everything she possibly could to try to get herself beat,” Fincher said. “She was pawing in the gate, broke bad, and was stuck in behind horses the whole way. She found a gap [in the stretch] and ran through.”

Fincher said the experience was good for Candy Aisle, but added she needs to do without the mistakes as she moves into the toughest test of her career.

“She can’t be making those mistakes in these bigger races,” he said.

Candy Aisle will break from the rail. Felipe Valdez has the mount for the partnership of Randy Andrews, Jim Cone, Brad King, and Lee Lewis.

Simply Enchanting launched her career Jan. 21 and won a maiden special weight at Santa Anita over six furlongs. She sat just off the pace for a length win, and the Beyer Speed Figure of 78 she earned is the best career number in the Sunland Oaks.

Simply Enchanting will be making her two-turn debut when she starts from post 2 under Antonio Fresu.

“We’re taking a swing in there,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She’s a big, scopey Nyquist filly that we’ve always had in mind to go long. We ran her short the other day. She has nice tactical speed. She kind of surprised us she won first time out going short. We always thought the longer the better.”

Her half-sister Envoutante won her biggest races at 1 1/8 miles while earning $993,660.

Simply Enchanting will be the first Sunland starter for D’Amato. The barn has had one previous New Mexico starter. Air Strike ran second in the Zia Park Derby in 2018.

Simply Enchanting arrived Tuesday with stablemate Stronghold, who goes in the Sunland Park Derby.

“She came out of her race in good shape, has continued to train well, and we thought we’d try a stakes,” D’Amato said. “We’ll see what she does. Maybe she can sneak her way onto the Oaks trail.”

Simply Enchanting is owned by MyRacehorse and Joey Platts.

Recharge was a nine-length debut winner in December at Remington Park and then moved to two turns for a first-level allowance in January at Sam Houston. She won by more than four lengths and now seeks to capture a Sunland stakes like her half-brother Reride, who is a past winner of the Mine That Bird Derby.

Joel Rosario has the mount on the daughter of Gun Runner from post 5. Steve Asmussen trains Recharge for her breeder, Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Harry Henson Handicap

Flying Connection, who won last year’s Sunland Oaks, will launch her 4-year-old season in the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap.

She is the 125-pound highweight for the one-mile race for fillies and mares. The five-time stakes winner is coming off a victory in the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 23.

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“She’s doing great,” said Fincher, who has given the mount to Rosario. “She pretty much gives us a good effort every time, and we expect the same. She’s got a big heart. She’s obviously talented, but she’s got a big heart.”

Flying Connection has won her last two starts from just off the pace and could get a similar trip in the six-horse field. She breaks from the far outside and could track Cityonthenile, who won last year’s Harry Henson on the front end, in addition to a few runners stretching out from sprints.

“She’s learned to relax a little bit, can be more tactical, which is pretty advantageous for a racehorse,” Fincher said.

Bill Thomas Memorial

Mine That Star, who is a local celebrity as a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, will cut back to one turn for the $100,000 Bill Thomas Memorial.

The race for 3-year-olds and up will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs.

Mine That Star won over 1 1/8 miles in the Zia Park Distance Championship in his last start Nov. 28. A few starts prior, he won the Budweiser Special at seven furlongs at the Downs at Albuquerque.

Ken Tohill has the mount for Judge Lanier Racing and trainer Nancy Summers.

The field of six includes Jaxon Traveler, who won the $100,000 Zia Park Sprint on the same card as the Distance Championship. He covered six furlongs in a blazing 1:07.37.

◗ Community Leader, a five-time stakes winner who overall is 7 for 8, makes his two-turn debut in the $100,000 Red Hedeman Mile for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico. “He’s a big, tall, long-jumping horse – should like the distance,” Fincher said.

◗ Stakes winner Payingoffmymarker is the most accomplished of three Fincher trainees in the $100,000 Enchantress. The mile race is for 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico. “Payingoffmymarker is very fast,” Fincher said. “I don’t know if she can go the distance. She’s very aggressive, very fast. Hopefully, she can.”

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