Taking Candy shows sweet moves in winning Fair Grounds Stakes

Second in his first two stakes starts, lightly raced 5-year-old Taking Candy was second to no one Saturday in the Grade 3, $175,000 Fair Grounds Stakes.

Taking Candy bowled past pacesetting Higgins Boat in the final furlong and went on to a one-length victory, likely turning in a career-best performance in his ninth start.

Credit to the horse, a son of Twirling Candy and Taking Aim, by Trappe Shot, who has developed steadily and raced competitively even in defeat. Credit, too, to trainer Cherie DeVaux, who had Taking Candy ready for a strong showing in his first start since Nov. 24 and only his fourth since September 2023.

DeVaux credited Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, who own Taking Candy, for giving the horse all the time he needed to get past nagging physical issues.

“Every time he runs, he really tries hard; it’s just hard to put together a campaign with him. It’s rewarding. The Jacksons have been so patient,” DeVaux said.

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DeVaux also credited her staff at Keeneland, where Taking Candy did all his work for this comeback run before shipping to New Orleans.

And credit must go to jockey Irad Ortiz, who quietly gave Taking Candy an excellent ride. Yes, Ortiz and Taking Candy came to the five-sixteenths pole in a perfect spot, racing third behind Higgins Boat and pacepressing Idratherbeblessed, but it was not so simple getting there.

Taking Candy broke from post 8 in the 1 1/8-mile Fair Grounds and briefly risked being caught wide around the first turn. Instead, Ortiz snuck his way into the two path before getting halfway around the bend, covered up and saving a decent amount of ground. Idratherbeblessed, racing just in front of Taking Candy, proved difficult to handle down the backstretch, the pace slowing dramatically, the half-mile split a slow 49.62, but Ortiz found a little seam just behind the lead group for Taking Candy to gain position. Moving forward again at the three-eighths marker, Ortiz suddenly was in a perfect spot. His mount took care of the rest.

“I tried to bide my time and be patient. He gave me a good run all the way to the wire,” Ortiz said.

What Say Thee, who saved ground at both turns under Luis Saez, came out for a stretch run and briefly loomed a major player, but he could not quicken with the top two, edging Idratherbeblessed for third. Favored Unit Economics, disadvantaged by the slow pace, tried for an inside run at the three-sixteenths, but could finish only fifth. Second-choice Gigante ran below form and was eighth.

Taking Candy was timed in 1:50.44 over a firm course and paid $8.20.

Two-and-a-half years after his debut, Taking Candy won his first stakes race – a credit to everyone associated with the horse.

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