Sidney's Candy dominates Sir Beaufort

ARCADIA, Calif. - Dirt or no dirt, Sidney’s Candy loves Santa Anita.

The 3-year-old colt won his fourth stakes of the year at the track, and fifth of his career, in Sunday’s $150,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes. The race was originally scheduled for turf but was transferred to the dirt main track after three-quarters of an inch of rain fell late Saturday and early Sunday.

Sidney’s Candy ($2.60) was never seriously challenged in the one-mile Sir Beaufort. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Sidney’s Candy led throughout, setting early fractions of 22.48 and 45.03 seconds and leading by a half-length over Indian Firewater midway through the race. Through the final half-mile, Indian Firewater offered no threat, and the other three runners in the field trailed badly, allowing Sidney’s Candy to win by 7 1/4 lengths. He finished a mile in 1:33.70.

Indian Firewater finished a half-length in front of Nextdoorneighbor, who was followed by Stephen’s Got Hope and Blue Panis. Accelerant, Bogie, Make Music for Me and Sebastian Flyte were scratched when the race was taken off turf.

Rosario said the quick early pace was not a concern. “It didn’t feel like we were going that fast,” he said. “He just kept going. He likes to run that way, free in front.”

Rosario said that he did not urge Sidney’s Candy through the final sixteenth after hearing commentator Trevor Denman remark that Sidney’s Candy had a comfortable lead. “When I heard Trevor said he had an easy lead, I eased him down,” Rosario said.

Owned by Jenny Craig and trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy has won 6 of 11 starts and $893,560. The Sir Beaufort was Sidney’s Candy’s first start since a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6, when he was beaten three lengths by Goldikova.

Sidney’s Candy’s list of stakes wins includes the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby last April when Santa Anita had a synthetic main track. A clay-and-sand track was installed in November and was used for racing Sunday for the first time.

Sidney’s Candy, by Candy Ride, gave trainer John Sadler and Rosario their second consecutive stakes win on the card. In the preceding race, they won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes with Switch. Sadler was absent because of illness.

Cal Breeders: Thirtyfirststreet turns it on

Thirtyfirststreet surprised jockey Rafael Bejarano with a late kick that led to a win in the $100,000 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for 2-year-old statebreds.

Thirtyfirststreet was seventh after a quarter-mile, and was still two lengths off the pace with a furlong remaining, before unleashing a kick that pushed him past 4-5 favorite Arresting Officer in the final sixteenth.

“I thought I’d finish third, but he hadn’t switched leads yet,” Bejarano said. “He showed me a big kick.”

Thirtyfirststreet ($13.80) ran seven furlongs in 1:22.20, finishing a half-length in front of Arresting Officer. Contemplated finished third in the field of eight, a length behind Thirtyfirststreet.

Arresting Officed fought for the early lead with Gab Power and Make It Cozy through fractions of 22.38 and 44.79 seconds. Gab Power and Make It Cozy were the last two finishers.

The winner is a Good Journey colt who races for the partnership of Kevin Bogart, Mark Gorman and Neil Haymes and is trained by Doug O’Neill. Thirtyfirststreet has won 2 of 3 starts and $90,400. He beat maidens in his second start, which came at Hollywood Park on Nov. 20.