7/17-18 (HOL): A Gleam H. & Swaps S. (G2's); Sunset H. (G3)
 

4th (2:32) A Gleam H. (G2)

7 Furlongs (All Weather Track) | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Will O Way Baze T C 114 L
2 Moon de French Garcia M 114 L
3 Emmy Darling Rosario J 115 L
4 Free Flying Soul Smith M E 122 L
5 Made for Magic Berrio O A 117 L
6 Sweet August Moon Espinoza V 116 L



9th (5:05) Swaps S. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $200,000

1 Alphie's Bet Smith M E 120 L
2 Summer Movie Garcia M 112 L
1 Sidney's Candy Talamo J 122 L
3 Skipshot Rosario J 114 L
1A Twirling Candy Espinoza V 112 L

A-Coupled: Sidney's Candy and Twirling Candy

Bob Baffert had mentioned the possibility of wheeling Concord Point right back for this race after Golden Itiz bailed.

At the very least, you'd think he'd throw Game On Dude in there, who has been working regularly over at Santa Anita.

Furthermore, I'd imagine Twirling Candy will come out to await the restricted Oceanside at Del Mar on turf, reducing this to a 4-horse joke.

Of course, I think the last 15 runnings of the Swaps have had, at most, 5-horse fields.

I wish the graded stakes committee could cut half the stakes gradings and make it so there is some coherent structure to the race schedule and force a few more horses to run because there is less opportunities to win Grade 1 and Grade 2 events.

That would be good. What's also distressing though is these barns with multiple top class horses aren't even running at all, never mind pitting their charges against each other. Baffert has at least 3 horses eligible for this race, yet none show up. Where the hell is Todd Pletcher with Exhi?

Sidney's Candy vs. Exhi? Sadly, considering the rest of the racing landscape, that could have been an interesting matchup.

Is the mighty American Lion still alive? He was working regularly up through last month. Why is a Grade 3 horse biding his time?

Seems since Drosselmeyer is out of the Jim Dandy,a few horses are begin talked about for it

Concord Point and Game on Dude as 2 names discussed

Ya I'm sure lots of connections were going to dodge Drosselmeyer.

(:

I think he is coming to the Jim Dandy with Concord Point.

I think Twirling Candy wins this

That would be interesting from the barn.

Most definitely. Twirling looked realy sharp last race and is giving 10 less pounds here than Sidney. I'm sure the barn will probably move him out of this race but one can hope he stays here.

I haven't seen Twirling Candy's races, but doesn't he have the same running style as Sidney's Candy? Also, he hasn't raced further than 7f in 2 starts.

Either way, both horses starting in this race seems highly unlikely.

9th (5:05) Sunset H. (G3)

1 1/2 Miles (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $100,000

1 Great Siege (IRE) Baze T C 114 L
2 Oil Man (IRE) Garcia M 115 L
3 Dynamic Range Bejarano R 115 L
4 Champ Pegasus Talamo J 113 L
5 Buenos Dias (IRE) Blanc B 115 L
6 Unusual Suspect Nakatani C S 114 L
7 Marlang Rosario J 115 L

6 horses..5 horses..7 horses...Close that place up. It offers close to zero entertainment value.

Twirling Candy scratched as suspected

Skipshot wins

Sidney's Candy was clear n' couldn't get home. Gunna be better as a 1 turn /miler type. Drugs, didn't we discuss this here.... Aim for the Malibu etc.

He won the SA Derby (which is 1 1/8 miles) by 8 lengths. He gets beat yesterday when he obviously didn't fire and you think that proves that he can't go 1 1/8 miles?

He fired. It's just that his jock can't finish and got PUNKED by a stronger rider.

Is it not safe to say that he just needed the race and IMO it was the perfect prep. Excited to see him face his elders in the Pacific Classic next.