Capt. Candyman Can gained victory in the $300,000 NetJets King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) (VIDEO) Aug. 29 when the original winner Vineyard Haven was disqualified for drifting out into the path of his challenger in deep stretch on a sloppy Saratoga main track.
Ridden by Javier Castellano, the charging Capt. Candyman Can was poised to sweep past the front-running Vineyard Haven. But the latter veered out inside the eighth pole under left-handed urging by jockey Alan Garcia and bumped twice with Candyman Can nearing the wire. Vineyard Haven emerged victorious by a head in the seven-furlong race in a time of 1:22.35.
Vineyard Haven, who dueled along the inside with entrymate Everyday Heroes before taking command approaching mid-stretch, was quickly disqualified by stewards, however. He was placed second.
Munnings , the 9-5 favorite in the field of eight betting interests, finished a distant third, 4 3/4 lengths behind.
Racing under showery skies, Capt. Candyman Can was reserved off a swift pace (:22.19, :44.64) in the sloppy going. He angled out rounding the turn and was bidding while five wide at the quarter pole. He continued to close resolutely and threatened Vineyard Haven inside the furlong marker before being bumped off stride, but still fought all the way to the wire.
"(Garcia) came out (on Vineyard Haven) and he bumped twice into me and my horse," Castellano said. "He hit my horse right in the shoulder and caused him to lose his momentum and he still only got beat by a head. That’s what cost me the race today. Without the bump, (Capt. Candyman Can) would definitely have pulled away to win."
"Coming for home, (Vineyard Haven) was starting to get a little bit tired and came out at the end," Garcia said. "He overreacted when I was trying to bring him back to the inside.”
Munnings was stuck inside for the first half-mile and made a solid bid in the stretch for jockey John Velazquez before giving way in the trying conditions.
"He gave a good effort but he just didn’t like the track today,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Despite the Odds finished a half-length farther back in fourth and the field was spread out from there. Not for Silver, second choice Big Drama, Flat Bold, Everyday Heroes, and Prince Joshua completed the order.
Owned by Joseph Rauch and David Zell, Capt. Candyman Can came into the King's Bishop off a second-place finish behind Quality Road in Saratoga's Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 3. That was the Candy Ride gelding's first start in 2 1/2 months. He won the Bay Shore (gr. III) at Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park's Hutcheson (gr. II) earlier this year.
"I think the stewards made the correct decision," said winning trainer Ian Wilkes. "I’ll take it any way I can get it. I’m going to enjoy today. Life is good right now.”
Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of Godolphin's Vineyard Haven, was far from disappointed in his charge, who was making his first start since finishing fourth in the UAE 2000 Guineas (UAE-III) Feb. 12. Vineyard Haven was one of the top American 2-year-olds last year, winning both the Hopeful and Champagne stakes (both gr. I) in authoritative fashion.
“I’m very proud; I mean, he won the race, it’s just too bad it happened like it did," bins Suroor said. "It was just an accident. The jockey tried to keep him straight – he tried to pull him over two or three times. It’s just one of those things that happens in races. I’m happy he’s back and that he ran well.”
Capt. Candyman Can improved his lifetime record to 6-1-1 in 10 starts and earnings of $620,423 with the winning purse of $180,000. The bay was bred by Lantern Hill Farm, Rauch and Zell. He is out of Stormy Way, by Storm Creek.
The winner carried 121 pounds and paid $9.80, $4.50, and $3.30 while keying a $2 exacta worth $52. Vineyard Haven returned $5.80 and $3.40. Munnings was $2.60 to show.
Capt. Candyman Can (left) and Vineyard Haven fight to the finish in the King's Bishop.
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