Country Candy stands out in Evangeline Downs Princess

Country Candy is one of two talented fillies whom the stable of Keene Thoroughbreds and trainer J.R. Caldwell have attacking the 2-year-old stakes scene. Bling On the Music has made the most noise, defeating males in the Gold Rush Futurity at Arapahoe Park to punch her ticket to next month’s Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs.

But it was Country Candy who came first, turning heads with a 9 1/2-length debut win in May. She will attempt to nail down the first stakes victory of her career Saturday night in the $60,000 Evangeline Downs Princess. The six-furlong stakes for 2-year-old fillies goes as the 11th race on a closing-night card of 12 races. It will share a program with the $60,000 Evangeline Downs Prince.

Caldwell said plans are to keep Country Candy and Bling On the Music separated, with sprinting the focus for Country Candy and Bling On the Music to target two-turn races.

Country Candy has placed in a pair of stakes since her debut win at Lone Star Park, where she earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 78. She made her next start July 2 in the $100,000 Debutante at Churchill and finished third. Country Candy was then second by a half-length in the $65,000 Lassie on July 28 at Prairie Meadows.

“That was a tough beat in Iowa,” Caldwell said.

Country Candy will invade from Remington Park. Colby Hernandez, who is expected to notch his fourth Evangeline riding title Saturday, has the mount from post 5.

The chief threats in the nine-horse field appear to be Gold Shock, who was second to Bling On the Music in the $93,000 fillies’ division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity on July 9 at Lone Star, and Chases Dixie Belle, the winner of the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies at six furlongs at Louisiana Downs. Gold Shock, who is a half-sister to He’s Comin in Hot, a past winner of the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill, is cross-entered in a Saturday night allowance at Remington.

In the Prince, the promising U S Officer figures to be a major factor with a repeat of his debut win May 30 at Lone Star. He cruised by three lengths in an effort that earned him a shot at the Bashford Manor, where he finished eighth in his most recent start July 2. U S Officer has since worked a bullet three-eighths at Evangeline, going in 35 seconds Aug. 23. Diego Saenz has the mount for owners Jerry Durant and Bill Jordan and trainer Danny Pish.

Envoyer last raced at Prairie Meadows, finishing third in the $65,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile on July 29. Richard Eramia has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen. Envoyer will break from post 3, while U S Officer will start from gate 2.