Can't-Miss Showdown Looms Between Just F Y I and Candied in Keeneland's Doubledogdare
- Turf Diario
- Apr 18
- 2 min read
The champion will square off against the Candy Ride filly, who captured the G1 Darley Alcibiades S. over this very track as a 2-year-old
LEXINGTON, KY (Special to Turf Diario).- A marquee clash between champion Just F Y I (Justify) and the classy Candied tops a field of seven older fillies and mares entered for Friday’s 30th running of the GIII Baird Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland, which carries a purse of $350,000.
The 1 1/16-mile main track event is the featured attraction on a 10-race card set to begin at 1:00 p.m. ET, with the Doubledogdare slated as race 9 and an expected post time of 5:16 p.m. ET.
Trained by Bill Mott, a two-time winner of the race, Just F Y I was a perfect 3-for-3 in 2023, capped by a dazzling victory in the GI NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, which secured her an Eclipse Award as Champion 2-Year-Old Filly.
The George Krikorian homebred has only raced once at Keeneland, finishing second in the GI Central Bank Ashland S., and returned from a nine-month layoff with a runner-up effort at Gulfstream Park on March 13. Regular rider Junior Alvarado will be aboard once again, breaking from post 1.
Her main rival appears to be Candied, a daughter of Candy Ride (Arg) who won the GI Darley Alcibiades S. over this same surface last fall and checked in fourth in the Ashland in the spring. Representing Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnersand celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the bay filly wrapped up her 3-year-old season with a strong third-place finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, finishing behind divisional champion Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna).
Trained by Todd Pletcher, a five-time winner of the Doubledogdare, Candied will be piloted by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 6. Pletcher previously sent out Malathaat (Curlin) to victory here in 2022—a stepping stone toward her Eclipse Award as Champion Older Dirt Female after she returned to Keeneland that fall to win the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff over Argentine G1 winner Blue Stripes (Equal Stripes).
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