Gamble’s Candy, making her stakes debut for owner/breeder Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll, forced the rapid pace of favoured Sister Peacock and drew clear for a 1 ¼-length score in Sunday’s featured Ruling Angel Stakes.
The $113,400 Ruling Angel, a 6 ½ furlong overnight stakes for three-year-old fillies, went with a field of 10 including five shippers and Gamble’s Candy was holding the fort for the home team at odds of 11-1.
“She’s always breaks right on top,” said jockey Luis Contreras, who was riding his fourth winner of the afternoon and 11th stakes winner of the meeting after taking Saturday’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes aboard Starship Jubilee.
“Today, with the five-horse (Sister Peacock), we were a little concerned about the pace but I was able to relax outside her and she travelled so well all the way around and gave me a nice kick at the end.”
Sister Peacock, a two-time stakes winner at the meeting and sent off at odds of 9-5, wasted little time in setting up shop on the front end but Gamble’s Candy was just a head back as the quarter flashed by in :22.39.
Gamble’s Candy (Twirling Candy – Forest Gamble by Forest Wildcat) was pressing hard while remaining a just a head back through a through a half in :44.54 but put away her rival turning for home and held a length lead at the furlong pole before extending her margin slightly to stop the clock in 1:15.36.
Ellyb, a Fair Hill shipper trained by Arnaud Delacour, had raced just 1 ½ lengths off the leaders through the first half and finished well to take down the runner-up spot, a neck before Missmizz, also shipping in from Fair Hill for trainer Michael Stidham.
Missmizz rallied from mid-pack to end 1 ¼ lengths before O’Keefe, An Arlington invader trained by Larry Rivelli.
Charmaine’s Mia, Western Curl, Sister Nova, My Gal Betty, Double Medal, 7-2 second choice La Feve, and a spent Sister Peacock completed the order of finish.
Artilena, Ciuri and Regal Chant were scratched.
Gamble’s Candy was a winner for the third time in her last four starts and giving her Hall of Fame trainer her third stakes win of the meeting.
“She’s just a filly that’s steadily improved,” said Carroll. “She struggled a little at two, and then just suddenly grew up. She’s got that tactical speed, but now that she’ll relax with it, I think it’s going to make a big difference.”
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