No excuse for Candid Glen

As a closer, Candid Glen needs honest fractions up front to fuel his late run, which is something he should get Sunday when he takes on Maysville Slew and the entry of Bien Nicole and Rasby in the $150,000 DeBartolo Memorial Breeders' Cup at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

The DeBartolo, the richest turf race of the meet, drew 12. It has been shortened in distance from 1 3/8 miles last year to 1 1/8 miles. The shorter distance benefits Candid Glen, whose last two wins have come at 1 1/8 miles.

"It's going to suit him," said Andrew Leggio, who trains Candid Glen for Glen Warren. "He loves the distance."

Candid Glen's last win came in the $200,000 Connally Breeders' Cup Turf at Sam Houston in February. Since that race, he has placed in two other regional stakes, and in his last start was beaten a length in an optional claimer that produced the winner of the $50,000 Barksdale Handicap at Louisiana Downs.

Leggio has given the mount to E.J. Perrodin.

Luis Quinonez will ride Maysville Slew, who edged Candid Glen by a nose when the two last met in July in the $100,000 Independence Breeders' Cup Turf at Louisiana Downs. Maysville Slew returned to dirt for his most recent race, and won the $75,000 Arapahoe Park Handicap over 1 1/8 miles.

"He set a new track record by a little over a second," said C.R. Trout, who owns and trains Maysville Slew.

Maysville Slew, who handles turf or dirt equally well, actually has a pedigree for grass. "All his daddy did was run on it," said Trout. "He was a good turf runner. And I think [turf] has to be kinder to [Maysville Slew] as a 6-year-old. But really, it seems like [surface] just doesn't matter to him."

Trout said the bigger issue is pace. He hopes Maysville Slew, whose long term goal is the Grade 2, $400,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29, can get a stalking trip in the DeBartolo.

Among those contributing to the pace should be Secret Session, who stretches out around two turns after a six-furlong allowance win last out. He is one of three entrants trained by Donnie Von Hemel, who will also send out $150,000 River Cities Breeders' Cup winner Bien Nicole.

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