Yo Yo Candy sprung a massive upset in Saturday’s $175,000 Sanford (G3) at Saratoga, driving from just off the pace to a 2 1/4-length decision at 46-1 odds. Trainer Daniel Velasquez made his Saratoga debut a winning one in the six-furlong test for two-year-olds.
“I jumped from the balcony over here,” Velazquez said. “I don’t even know how I got here. This is a dream come true. As a kid, you dream of winning races here and here I am.”
Angel Castillo, a three-time Group 1 winner in his native Venezuela, earned his first North American graded win.
“I’m always looking for opportunities to demonstrate my talent and I try to take my one or two opportunities,” Castillo said. “The trip was very good. I had a good start and good position in the race. In the turn, he charged outside and in the stretch he ran very good.”
A three-length debut winner over maiden special weight rivals at Parx in late May, Yo Yo Candy was exiting a non-threatening third to Gold Sweep in the Tremont S. at Belmont Park on June 11.
The complexion of the Sanford changed significantly when Gold Sweep stumbled badly out of the starting gate as the .35-1 favorite, racing in eighth through an opening quarter-mile in :22.15. Gold Sweep began to make up ground on the far turn, and he closed wide through the stretch to be a clear second.
“He was standing good,” said Jose Ortiz, jockey of the Steve Asmussen-trained Gold Sweep. “He popped out when the door opened and went as fast as he could. I think that kind of made everything go wrong. He stumbled badly and I tried to ride him with a lot of passion after that. He came back for second, but it was a lot to do for him, and he did it. I’m very proud of his effort, just very unlucky. Very unlucky.”
Owned by Happy Tenth Stable, Yo Yo Candy added blinkers for the Sanford and raced close to the pace after the break, stalking a couple lengths back in third as the field made its way down the backstretch. The son of Danzing Candy advanced closer on the far turn and rallied four-wide into the stretch, striking the front approaching the eighth pole.
Yo Yo Candy finished up in 1:11.83
Gold Sweep edged frontrunning Dickens by three-quarters of a length for second, and it was another neck back to late runner Triple Trea in fourth. Call the Cavalry, Market Street, Jive, His Rights, and Ramming Speed completed the order.
Bred in California by Checkmate Thoroughbreds, Yo Yo Candy passed through the sales ring twice, bring $6,000 as a yearling before being acquired for $35,000 at the OBS March two-year-old sale this spring. He’s out of the stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed Yolanda B. Too, a daughter of Two Punch, and Yo Yo Candy counts Grade 3 sprint runner-up Treble as a half-brother.
