With Pedigree, Performance, and Backing, Nicodemus Set for Sales Ring Debut

The dark bay covered over 100 mares in his first season and has 66 registered offspring; his first yearlings go to auction this year

Nicodemus is shaping up to be a promising stallion prospect / HARAS LA CATEDRAL

The vast majority of Candy Ride offspring have proven themselves not only generous on the racetrack but also influential at stud. With marquee names like Gun Runner and Twirling Candy setting the standard, Candy Ride’s daughters at regional studs continue to make waves.

Locally, stallions such as Señor Candy and Sidney’s Candy have already made their mark, while Leofric is emerging as a new name with strong potential. Across the pond, Sloane Avenue was recently named Stallion of the Year, and Dubai Sky shines daily on Chilean tracks.

This year, the first yearlings of Nicodemus, another promising Candy Ride son, arrive at sales rings in our country. Standing at Haras La Catedral for a partnership that includes Haras El Trébol, Haras Zoraida, and Patricio Losinno, among others, Nicodemus offers exciting prospects for breeders.

Foaled in 2015 and a WinStar Farm graduate, the dark bay had a solid racing career in the United States, winning three races at 3 and 4 years old and earning $295,350 in purse money. He broke his maiden at Ellis Park on turf over a mile and promptly finished second in the Curlin Stakes (L) at Saratoga to the talented Hofburg (Tapit).

His next victory came at Aqueduct in a 1400-meter allowance on dirt, followed by a fourth-place finish in the Excelsior Stakes (G3) at the same venue. Nicodemus’s peak performance was a win in the Westchester Stakes (G3, 1600 m, dirt) at Belmont Park. He later finished fourth in both the True North Stakes (G2) and the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2), also in New York. His final notable effort was a narrow nose defeat to Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), a G1 winner, in the Toboggan Stakes (G3).

Nicodemus comes from an outstanding maternal family. His dam, Leah’s Secret (Tiger Ridge), won seven stakes in the U.S., including the Raven Run Stakes (G2), Chilukki Stakes (G2), and Top Flight Handicap (G2), and is a maternal sister to Bear Tough Guy (G3) (Roar of the Tiger).

The third dam, Mary’s Spirit (Mr. Prospector), is a maternal sister to the legendary champion Lady’s Secret(Secretariat), placing Nicodemus in the same family as Japanese star Believe (Sunday Silence), U.S. sprint champion Shamrock Rose (First Dude), and Argentine G1 winner Glorious Moment (Treasure Beach).

In his first breeding season, Nicodemus covered 107 mares, producing 66 registered foals, many of whom are now reaching the sales ring. His book included top-class mares such as G1 winner Hennie Six (Sixties Icon), G3 winners Royal Lane (Salt Lake) and Filis Parade (Parade Marshal), Celeste y Blanca (Indy Point), Regal Compact (Honour and Glory), dam of G1 winner Río Vettel (True Cause), Candy Sola (Candy Stripes), dam of G1 winner Candy Nevada (Pure Prize), Gigabyte (Green Means Go), dam of G1 winner Girlie (Pure Prize) and granddam of Giustino(Full Mast), last winner of the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (G1), and Istishaary (Haafhd), dam of G1 winner Il Fornaio (Orpen).

With his impeccable pedigree, solid race record, and strong backing from prominent breeders, Nicodemus is well-positioned to carve out a significant legacy at stud.