Danzing Candy moves closer to meeting goals

ARCADIA, Calif. - Danzing Candy may deserve an eight-week gap between races after a hard-fought victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on Saturday.

Danzing Candy fought for the lead at Santa Anita throughout the race, repelling an early threat from Coastline and from Ransom the Moon in the stretch before winning by a neck.

The win proved Danzing Candy’s resiliency and put him closer to goals set for the 4-year-old colt later this year at Del Mar: the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 26, and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 3.

“That was pretty impressive,” trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday morning. “He took all that heat. He’s always been a good horse.”

Danzing Candy, 4, has won three consecutive starts this year, including the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap at 1 1/16 miles in Texas on May 28.

The Pat O’Brien will be an important start. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Dirt Mile.

Owned by Ted Aroney and Jim and Dianne Bashor, Danzing Candy has won 6 of 11 starts and earned $700,930. Last year, Danzing Candy won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds in March and was 15th in the Kentucky Derby behind Nyquist.

Danzing Candy was transferred to Baffert after the Kentucky Derby and has since won three of five starts.