Pedro Armada expresses firm confidence in the quality of Candy Unica for the challenge of the Selección
The daughter of Señor Candy has steadily progressed as the distances increased to earn her spot among the key contenders for the Oaks. Her trainer highlights the filly's sound health and consistency, explains how she will need to be ridden over the 2000 meters, and reveals why Kevin Banegas will take over as her new jockey
When Candy Única recorded her debut victory over 1000 meters at La Plata, no one imagined that just a few months later she would be preparing to tackle the 2000 meters of the Gran Premio Selección (G1), one of the most prestigious events on the Argentine racing calendar. Not even her trainer, Pedro Armada, thought that the speedy filly would be capable of extending her stamina so far. Yet the daughter of Señor Candy kept tearing down limits, elevating her game with every challenge, and now prepares to seek classic glory in Saturday's feature event at Hipódromo de Palermo.
Her campaign reflects a pattern of sustained evolution. Winner of both the Clásico Manuel J. Güiraldes (G3) and the Clásico Fortunato Damiani (G3), as well as a key contender in the Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1) where she finished fifth, Candy Única earned her place among the elite fillies of her generation through sheer consistency and a quality her conditioner considers essential: her remarkable ability to stay sharp.
"She is a filly that delivers—she always delivers. She is very sound. With regular galops and a breeze every now and then, she maintains her peak condition," Armada explains, making it clear that he does not need to push her too hard in morning works to bring her to the races in top form.
The main question mark, naturally, centers on the distance. The 2000 meters represent an untested demand for Candy Única, particularly given her headstrong temperament and her natural inclination for speed. For her trainer, the key will be ensuring she conserves her energy through the opening stages of the race.
"She is a filly with plenty of fire. If you let her, she wants to go straight to the front. The goal is to get her to break relaxed so her rider can manage her, tucking her behind the other fillies to exploit her late kick in the stretch without fighting her," he notes.
This tactical aspect takes on even greater significance due to a jockey change. Kevin Banegas will take the reins, assuming a major responsibility in a race where any early overexertion can carry a heavy price tag in the final furlongs.
Armada explains that the selection occurred naturally after scheduling conflicts arose for her former riders.
"First she won with Adrián (Giannetti); later he had prior commitments, so El Picante (Brian Enrique) took over and rode her brilliantly. He had a tentative commitment now with Gran Muñeca, even though their entry wasn't confirmed yet, but we had already offered the mount to Kevin. He came out, worked her, loved her, and I told him: 'Look at the replays, look at the photos; as a former jockey myself, I'm not going to tell you how to ride her. Once the gates open, everything changes; I want him to improvise.'"
The trainer's trust in the jockey's instincts is obvious. Beyond the preliminary instructions, he understands that interpreting the race dynamics as they unfold and avoiding an unnecessary battle with the filly will be crucial, especially if she shows early eagerness.
Yet perhaps the most compelling angle of Candy Única's story is how she transformed into a high-caliber competitor capable of taking on challenges that once seemed beyond her range. Armada recalls that after her early victories, the prevailing belief was that her future would be restricted to sprint distances or, at most, intermediate trips.
"It's huge. Besides, we had completely different expectations for her at the start because she was a pure sprinter; she won over 1000 meters at La Plata, and we thought 'that's as far as she'll go' when she won over 1300. But the rider who rode her then—Héctor Dyke—told me she might actually stretch out. She built up naturally without being pressured, without long, grueling works... her breezes were spaced out month by month. She adapted all on her own and arrives in great shape," the horseman shares.
That patient approach to her development—neither rushing steps nor forcing her preparation—turned out to be the secret to her progress. Candy Única answered every question asked of her, and now she must prove that her competitive drive can extend across a classic distance.
Formidable opposition lies ahead, led by Look At To Me (Dabster), who sits atop the consensus following her decisive triumph in the Polla de Potrancas. However, Candy Única has already shown that she belongs in elite company and that her presence in the final jewel of the filly triple crown is far from accidental.
For Pedro Armada, reaching the Selección with a filly who started her career winning over 1100 meters and went on to conquer new horizons represents a deeply rewarding milestone. On Saturday, when the gate doors fly open, a new test begins for his pupil. If she settles smoothly during the run down the backstretch and saves her punch for the long Palermo straight, just as her trainer envisions, she may well have one more limit left to break.
