Ollie's Candy outgames Secret Spice in Clement Hirsch

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer John Sadler is making early reservations for the Breeders’ Cup.

Sadler on Sunday added the $300,351 Clement Hirsch Stakes to his Grade 1 weekend haul when Ollie’s Candy fought back to down Secret Spice following a protracted stretch duel in the 1 1/16-mile race for older fillies and mares. That earned Ollie’s Candy a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita via the “Win and You’re” program.

On Saturday, Sadler sent out Cistron to a victory in the six-furlong Bing Crosby, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, also Nov. 2. The weekend sweep brought Sadler’s stakes haul at this meet to five, and the season is a mere 10 days old. Every one of his victories at the meet has been in a stakes race.

Ollie’s Candy ($10) led for most of the Hirsch, and opened a three-length lead after six furlongs in 1:11.32. But Secret Spice rallied boldly coming off the final bend and poked her head in front with a furlong remaining. Ollie’s Candy battled back under Kent Desormeaux, and prevailed by a head. La Force was a distant third, 5 1/4 lengths farther back, then came, in order, Paradise Woods, Spring in the Wind, and Queen Bee to You. Just a Smidge was scratched earlier Sunday.

Ollie’s Candy completed 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:44.66.

“I was surprised to see her in front, but it turned out,” Sadler said. “I thought she was going to be second, but she dug back in.”

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Ollie’s Candy, 4, is a relative newcomer to Sadler’s barn. She made her first five starts for Billy Morey, for whom she won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in June 2018. She also was second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks here last summer.

Morey disbanded his stable earlier this year in the midst of an investigation into a pre-race treatment violation at his barn. Paul and Karen Eggert, who bred and own Ollie’s Candy, moved her to Sadler.

Ollie’s Candy returned from a nine-month layoff to finish seventh of eight in the Grade 1 Gamely on May 27, then most recently was second in the Grade 3 Wilshire, both on turf, both at Santa Anita.

“She’s shown herself to be versatile on several surfaces,” said Sadler, who said an allowance race, and the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon on turf next weekend, had been considered before the Clement Hirsch was selected.

“She worked so well on the dirt, best work of the meet,” Sadler said, referring to a half-mile drill in 46.60 seconds on July 20 that was the best of 87 at the distance. “When you switch surfaces to a new track, some horses just like it. We thought we’d try the dirt.

“Plus it was a Grade 1, and a Win and You’re In.”

Ollie’s Candy, a daughter of Candy Ride, has now won four times in eight starts. She earned $180,000 on Sunday to bring her career bankroll to $452,151.