Candy Unica takes command in the mud to capture the Fortunato Damiani
- Turf Diario
- hace 3 horas
- 2 Min. de lectura
In the absence of Gota Clara Sos and Mayan Goddess, the Señor Candy filly dug deep on the front end to claim her biggest win to date
LA PLATA, Argentina (Special to Turf Diario)— With the scratches of Gota Clara Sos (Made You Look) and Mayan Goddess (Made You Look), the two standout names in the build-up to the Clásico Fortunato Damiani (G3-1300 m),the field was left wide open for a new contender to emerge.
Capitalizing on the opportunity was Candy Unica, who, after breaking her maiden in her third attempt, ascended to the top of the juvenile rankings at this track with a solid and promising victory. The win maintained her undefeated record at La Plata and marked a career milestone for apprentice jockey Héctor Dyke, who celebrated his first career graded stakes victory.
The chestnut filly was a protagonist from the start, battling for the lead with Achispada (Have At It) through fractions of 23s67/100 and 46s97/100—demanding times given the heavy conditions. Despite the early exertion, she remained resilient when the race reached its definition.
In the homestretch, Candy Unica seized the lead, fending off a persistent inside challenge from Achispada and an outside bid from the favorite Salema (Il Mercato). The winner displayed her best form here, standing firm against the dual challenge and drawing away comfortably in the final stages.
The Pedro Armada trainee crossed the wire with a 1 1/2-length advantage over Salema, who threatened more than she delivered, with Achispada just a head back in third. The rest of the field finished well back, with La Manteca (Equal Talent) fourth and Grosella (Seahenge) trailing. The final time was 1m20s84/100, with a 1200-meter split of 1m14s50/100.
Racing for Stud Patero and bred by Haras Vikeda, Candy Unica is a daughter of Señor Candy out of Universal Star (Jump Start)
