Candy Ride: the sire of sires who put on a masterclass during a historic weekend
- Turf Diario
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
His sons at stud enjoyed a formidable harvest in stakes-quality events and beyond
NEW YORK, NY (Special to Turf Diario)— The dominance of the Candy Ride (ARG) sire line across the United States this past weekend was far more than a simple winning streak; it was a genetic statement heard from New York to California. The Argentine legend, through his sons at stud, put on a masterclass of superiority, reaching statistical levels that further consolidate his status as a "sire of sires" capable of monopolizing the most elite leaderboards in American racing.
The primary engine of this dynasty was once again the phenomenal Gun Runner. In the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), the influence of Candy Ride’s greatest son reached a historic milestone, as his daughters occupied the top two spots, while the top five finishers were all paternal granddaughters of the irrepressible Candy Ride.
The victory of Meaning, who covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.99, was a display of pure professionalism for the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners heavy favorite. The filly had to navigate a tricky trip when the field bunched up mid-race, but once she found racing room, she dominated with the same class she exhibited at the Keeneland sales, where she was a $440,000 purchase.
Almost simultaneously on the Aqueduct dirt, the Gun Runner line struck again with a resounding 1-3 finish in the Gazelle Stakes (G3) over nine furlongs. Always a Runner more than justified the $1.05 million investment by her owners. The highlight of her triumph was not just the authority of her win, but her physical resilience: the Chad Browntrainee had to overcome a severe bout of pneumonia that required hyperbaric oxygen therapy and delayed her debut. She stopped the clock in 1:50.97—a time that was 0.74 seconds faster than the colts in the Wood Memorial (G2) held just one race later.
The tidal wave of success for Candy Ride’s progeny extended to the Distaff Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, this time through another of his sons, Mastery. His daughter Grammy Girl, a 5-year-old mare who rose through the claiming ranks, made the definitive leap to the elite by defeating 2024’s champion 2-year-old filly, Immersive (Nyquist). Under Javier Castellano, Grammy Girl took the seven-furlong contest in 1:23.47.
When paired with the victory of Further Ado in the
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