Valentine's Candy much the best in opening-day Advent Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Valentine Candy roared home to a 6 3/4-length win over Willy D’s in the $150,000 Advent Stakes, the opening-day feature on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

The Advent, for 2-year-olds, was held under overcast skies with temperatures in the 60s. This is the third meet Oaklawn has started in December, a departure from its traditional opening in January.

Valentine Candy ($5.60) sat just off the pace set by Frost Free, who after breaking slowly rushed up to take the field through an opening quarter in 22.17 seconds. Molly’s Town and Valentine Candy moved to the lead soon afterward, and after a half-mile in 46.25 seconds, Valentine Candy pulled away from his rivals.

He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:04.65. Andy’s Candy finished third, a head behind Willy D’s.

Valentine Candy came into the Advent off a third-place finish in the Bowman Mill at Keeneland. The winner of that race, Glengarry, who is unbeaten in three starts, is entered in the $300,000 Springboard Mile that will be held next Friday night at Remington Park.

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

Valentine Candy has now won 2 of 5 starts and has earnings of $195,713. The son of Justify races for the partnership of Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm, and Whispering Oaks Farm.

Jockey Ramon Vazquez, who is back at Oaklawn after being based in Southern California for the last year and a half, rode Valentine Candy for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The win was one of two on the card for Vazquez, who plans to return this spring to Southern California. Vazquez, who was based at Oaklawn for about 10 years before heading to Southern California, also rode the David Jacobson-trained winner Stage Left ($6). Jacobson had an additional winner on the card in Royal Meghan ($4), who was ridden by Isaac Castillo.

Julien Leparoux, a new member of the Oaklawn riding colony, won with the first-time starter Appealing Addie for trainer Randy Morse.

Chris Landeros won a maiden special weight race aboard Texas Town. The Chris Hartman-trained runner is by the recently passed stallion Speightstown.

Another new member of the riding colony, Martin Chuan, won the final race on the opening day card aboard In Good Taste for trainer Brad Cox.

Racing resumes Saturday, when the track will have reduced prices on corned beef sandwiches and soda in what has become an opening weekend tradition. There is no racing Sunday

The Oaklawn meet runs through May 4.

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