If at his best, Candip can do

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Mike Tomlinson is hoping Candip can duplicate the kind of effort he gave in two terrific outings at Gulfstream Park last winter, but hold that thought.

“He got pretty sick after we shipped back from Florida,” said Tomlinson, who will saddle Candip as the likely favorite in the second race Thursday at Churchill Downs, a $58,000 classified allowance at six furlongs. “He had a temperature for several days and kind of worried us there. He’s fine now, but we did have to give him a couple weeks off.”

After defeating graded stakes winners Trouble Kid and Blofeld in a tough Jan. 27 allowance at Gulfstream, Candip ran second to the mighty X Y Jet in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Sprint a month later. A 5-year-old gelding, Candip got a 103 Beyer Speed Figure in both races.

“He liked the surface there at Gulfstream, but he’s run big elsewhere, too,” said Tomlinson. “He seems to carry his racetrack with him. We’ll try to get him around there Thursday and set him up to go on to bigger and better things, I hope.”

Tyler Gaffalione, whose engagements typically are limited to Gulfstream, will be in to ride Candip, whose chief opposition figures to come from Viva Majorca and Control Stake. A field of six older horses is entered.

The other allowance on the program goes as race 7. It’s a $52,000, second-level turf sprint for fillies and mares that drew a well-matched field of seven.

Every Thursday through the end of the spring meet July 2 will have an eight-race card that starts at 5 p.m. Eastern and ends at 8:39.

KEY CONTENDERS

Candip, by Candy Ride

Last 3 Beyers: 103-103-85

◗ Claimed last May for $32,000 on behalf of owner K Town Partners, this Kentucky-bred has earned a check in all seven subsequent starts while ascending the class ladder.

Viva Majorca, by Tiago

Last 3 Beyers: 95-74-91

◗ The six-furlong distance might be a tad short for him, but if there’s a meltdown pace and Candip isn’t at his best, he’ll loom a major threat down the lane.

Control Stake, by Discreetly Mine

Last 3 Beyers: 91-86-99

◗ Speedy Florida-bred figures to show tons of early speed, considering he’s returning from a layoff of three-plus months for trainer Tom Amoss.