I will be the first to admit that Candy Ride has greatly exceeded my expectations at stud. Just this past weekend, he had the winner of the Bay Shore (G3) and the 2nd place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby (G1)--and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
We are talking about a horse that retired undefeated after defeating Medaglia D oro in the Pacific Classic (G1) in very fast time. But we have seen G1 winners from South America retire to stud in the United States with very disappointing results. What makes the pedigree of Candy Ride different? Here is a look--
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Mr. Prospector |
Gold Digger--Nashua (X)--Nasrullah |
| |
Killaloe |
Grand Splendor...Mahmoud |
| |
Cryptoclearance |
Tom Rolfe |
| |
Herbager |
Escamillo--Firdaussi (Y) |
| |
Flagette |
Fidgette--Firdaussi (X) |
| |
Blushing Groom |
Wild Risk (X) |
| |
Runaway Bride |
Aimee--Tudor Minstrel |
| |
Candy Stripes |
Northern Dancer...Mahmoud |
| |
Lyphard |
Goofed...Fair Trial |
| |
Bubble Company |
Prominer...The Recorder |
| |
Candy Girl |
Nashua (Y)--Nasrullah |
| |
Good Manners |
Fun House...Mahmoud |
| |
La Farnesina |
La Dogana...Fair Trial |
| |
City Girl |
Pronto...Badruddin |
| |
Utopico |
Unna--Cyrus the Great |
| |
Cithara |
Marino...Wild Risk (Y) / Sans Tares (Y) |
| |
Cithere |
Baloo...San Tares (X) |
Notice the concentration of stallions from the Lady Josephine family, especially in the dam side of his pedigree. Fair Trial and The Recorder are both sons of Lady Juror, a daughter of Lady Josephine, while the half-brothers Tudor Minstrel and Cyrus the Great are out of the mare Sansonnet, a daughter of Lady Juror.
The great foundation mare Mumtaz Mahal is also a daughter of Lady Josephine. Her son Badruddin is present in the pedigree of Candy Ride, as are the closely related stallions Mahmoud and Nasrullah, both grandsons of Mumtaz Mahal.
We have seen Lady Josephine and Mumtaz Mahal as quality factors in a number of important pedigrees, including those of Seattle Slew, Forli, Holy Bull, Gallant Man, Nureyev, Sadlers Wells, Rahy, Invasor, Street Cry, and Gilded Time just to name a few.
Also note that Candy Ride comes from the family of the successful stallions Worden and Le Fabuleux (damsire of Unbridled) and actually carries Worden in the damside of his pedigree, giving Candy Ride balanced inbreeding to the mare Sans Tares. His dam also carries balanced inbreeding to Wild Risk (xy), as Worden is a son of Wild Risk. We have seen balanced inbreeding to Wild Risk in several important American pedigrees, including those of Arazi (champion 2YO colt) and Broken Vow (sire of G1 winners).
Of additional interest is the fact that Ride the Rails, the sire of Candy Ride, carries 2 crosses of the foundation mare Alablue. Alablue is the granddam of the notable stallion Boldnesian, who appears in the pedigrees of Seattle Slew and Officer. This makes it look like a good idea to cross Candy Ride with Seattle Slew-line mares, and he has already worked with this combination--in the pedigree of Chocolate Candy (G3, G1-placed).
--Ed Anthony (4/6/09)