Valentine Candy takes rail route to Robert Hilton Memorial triumph

Valentine Candy broke from the rail, hugged the rail, and came up the rail inside favored Bentornato to win the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes on Friday night at Hollywood Races at Charles Town.

This marked the fourth straight year trainer Steve Asmussen has shipped a horse in to win one of the rich stakes on the Charles Town Classic card. Society won the Charles Town Oaks in 2022 and the Pink Ribbon in 2023, and Pauline’s Pearl won the 2021 Charles Town Oaks.

Bentornato, trained by Jose D’Angelo, was racing for the first time since the Saudi Derby in February and was favored Friday night because Book’em Danno, about six lengths better than him in Saudi Arabia, was scratched from the Hilton to start Saturday in the Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga.

Derek Ryan, Book’em Danno’s trainer, specifically mentioned Bentornato’s early speed as a concern in the Hilton, but Bentornato was beaten to the lead by California shipper Tapalo. Tapalo and jockey Joel Rosario went their opening quarter-mile in 22.97, pursued intently by Bentornato, who took the lead coming out of the Hilton’s second turn and briefly loomed a winner. Instead, it was Valentine Candy, beaten 14 lengths last out in the Amsterdam at Saratoga, who stayed on stoutly under Cristian Torres, wore down the leader while charging up the inside through the final furlong, and went on to a 1 1/2-length victory.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Bentornato easily was second-best, finishing more than three lengths in front of third-place Tapalo. Valentine Candy was timed in 1:23.58 and paid $16.20.

By Justify out of Taste Like Candy, by Candy Ride, Valentine Candy races for William and Corrine Heiligbrodt, longtime Asmussen clients, and was bred in Kentucky by Pine Creek.

Valentine Candy won the Bachelor and Ozark Stakes earlier this year at Oaklawn Park, and earned nearly $300,000 on Friday night, Asmussen, as usual, choosing the right horse for the right spot.

Pink Ribbon Stakes

Free Like a Girl, emancipated from facing top older fillies and mares like Idiomatic and Scylla, won the $500,000 Pink Ribbon Stakes by three quarters of a length over Clearly Unhinged.

Pulling a perfect trip under Luis Saez, sitting third while Clearly Unhinged and odds-on favorite Spirit Wind engaged in a prolonged pace battle, Free Like a Girl pushed past Clearly Unhinged in the final half-furlong. Just Katherine chugged along for third, but finished more than three lengths in arrears of Clearly Unhinged.

Free Like a Girl was making her second Charles Town start following a distant second-place finish behind runaway winner Society in the 2022 Charles Town Oaks, and had significant further experience at Delta Downs, a track with a six-furlong oval like Charles Town, where sprints longer than five furlongs are run around two turns.

Free Like a Girl exited tough spots in the Fleur de Lis and La Troienne at Churchill Downs, and, racing for the first time since late June, was well prepared for this rich opportunity by Louisiana-based trainer Chasey Pomier. A Louisiana-bred by El Deal out of Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull, Free Like a Girl was purchased at auction for just $5,500 and now has earned nearly $2 million.

The 5-year-old mare was timed in 1:24.51 for seven furlongs on a fast track and paid $9.20 to win.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.