Danzing Candy goes to Baffert

ARCADIA, Calif. – Danzing Candy, who set the pace in the Kentucky Derby before fading to finish 15th, was recently transferred from trainer Clifford Sise to Bob Baffert.

Sise and Baffert confirmed the move on Wednesday.

Danzing Candy, owned by Ted Aroney and Jim and Dianne Bashor, made his first six starts with Sise, winning three races and earning $358,650. Danzing Candy won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in March and was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

In the Kentucky Derby on May 7, Danzing Candy led by as many as four lengths early before being caught on the final turn. Danzing Candy was sixth with a furlong remaining but faded to finish 20 lengths behind Nyquist.

Baffert said on Wednesday that he hasn’t made any race plans for Danzing Candy. He said the colt may have encountered breathing difficulties in the latter stages of the Kentucky Derby.

“I think he displaced a little bit,” Baffert said. “He’s okay. He looks good.”

Danzing Candy finished one position in front of the maiden Trojan Nation in the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Paddy Gallagher for Aaron Sones and Julie Gilbert, Trojan Nation resumed training this week at Santa Anita, Gallagher said. Gallagher said a race goal has not been selected for Trojan Nation.

“We’ll play it by ear and see how he’s doing,” Gallagher said.

There is one graded stakes for 3-year-olds remaining at the spring-summer meeting at Santa Anita – the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on July 2.

Winless in seven starts, Trojan Nation finished second at 81-1 in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9.