Exercise rider Paul Niluang was in the irons for the work."This is a good old horse," Mandella said. "He tries hard every time. He's not tons better than these horses, but he's in their league; he's right there with them. He'll have his day. I'm just proud to have him to lead over."The trainer would like to see a fast pace, leaving Kudos about 10 lengths behind after a mile. Then he'd like to see the big stretch run that he believes is in Kudos. "But besides all that, he has to run his best race. Sometimes circumstances help you; often it's because the horse peaks."
(Edited Del Mar notes)Candy Ride, the undefeated Argentine-bred, and multiple stakes winner Kudos completed their work this morning for Sunday's $1-million, grade I Pacific Classic, with sharp workouts on the main track.Candy Rider, with his new rider Julie Krone aboard, zipped a half-mile in 47.60 and galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 at about 9:15. In an earlier workout period, Kudos turned in a 5-furlong drill in 59.80.Trainer Ron McAnally said a "potential disaster" was averted during Candy Ride's drill when the 4-year-old colt was able to avoid an exercise rider who had been dumped by his horse near the 6-furlong pole on the clubhouse turn. McAnally said, "The horse saw the rider on the ground before Julie did and avoided him. It could have been a disaster, but it turned out allright."Del Mar clocker Gary Nelson caught Candy Ride in these fractions: 12.60 for the first eighth of a mile and 24.60 for the quarter. That means the final quarter for the colt owned by Sid and Jenny Craig was covered in 23 seconds flat.A delighted McAnally said of the work: "He did just what we wanted him to do. Julie was quite pleased with the work, too." Trainer Richard Mandella was just as proud of his Pacific Classic prospect,owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss. "He went super," Mandella said of Kudos, who was made the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line. "He was really good this morning. In fact, his last couple of works have very good."