Jess Savin Candy aims to complete Triple Crown sweep in All American Futurity
Jess Savin Candy is 440 yards from history.
The 2-year-old Quarter Horse can become just the second horse to sweep the Triple Crown series at Ruidoso Downs if he wins the track’s $3 million All American Futurity on Monday.
Special Effort is the lone horse to have won all three of Ruidoso’s major stakes for 2-year-olds. He accomplished the feat in 1981.
Jess Savin Candy’s bid for the record books comes wrapped in a 12-race, closing-day card. Danjer will see action when he goes for his third straight graded win in the Grade 1, $200,000 All American Gold Cup, while In Hott Pursuit must overcome the rail draw in the $200,000 All American Juvenile.
Jess Savin Candy positioned himself for a Triple Crown try by winning the Ruidoso Futurity in June and the Rainbow Futurity in July. The Oklahoma-bred gelding by Jess Good Candy also had to qualify for both of those races during trials, and the same was true for the All American.
“He’s a pretty resilient guy,” said John Stinebaugh, the 64-year-old native of Greenville, Texas, who trains Jess Savin Candy for Dutch Masters III.
There were 300 horses entered in the All American trials run over two days Aug. 20-21, and Jess Savin Candy was the fastest qualifier on Day 2 when he won his 440-yard heat in 21.18 seconds. The runner-up and third-place finisher from the race also qualified.
“He filled back up quick,” Stinebaugh said. “He hasn’t missed a bite. He’s fleshy. He’s hitting the ground awesome. If he gets away from the gate down there, it will take a good one to beat him.”
Jess Savin Candy, who will be looking for his fifth straight win in a career in which he is 4 for 5, will break from post 7 under regular rider Francisco Calderon.
The chief threats include Kj Desparado, who was the fastest qualifier on Day 1 of the trials with a time of 21.45. He will start from post 9 in the field of 10. Adrian Ramos has the mount for trainer Wesley Giles.
Fdd Scout brings a 4-for-5 record to the table, with his lone loss coming when fourth to Jess Savin Candy in the Rainbow. He will break from post 2. Tanner Thedford has the mount for trainer Trey Wood.
Stinebaugh has had the fastest qualifier for the All American more than once in his career but has been unable to secure a win in the most famous race for Quarter Horses. He respects the difficulty of the task at hand but also has confidence in his horse heading into the biggest race of their careers.
“You just have to stick to the basics,” Stinebaugh said. “The whole thing is about the horse. If he’s not ready, it’s not going to work.
“He is.”
As for the bigger picture of chasing Triple Crown history, Stinebaugh said over the past few weeks there’s been plenty of talk at his barn. He said through it all, there’s been a constant consensus.
“If it’s meant to be, it will be,” he said.