She Be Wild tops Alcibiades; ‘Candyman, Fatal Bullet set for Phoenix

She Be Wild tops Alcibiades; ‘Candyman, Fatal Bullet set
for Phoenix

Fatal Bullet will use the Phoenix as a springboard to a second straight Breeders’ Cup appearance  (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) Friday’s opening-day program at Keeneland features a pair of stakes with serious Breeders’ Cup implications. The $500,000 Alcibiades S. (G1) has attracted the unbeaten SHE BE WILD (Offlee Wild), who established herself as one of the stars of her division with a runaway score in the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) and will compete for favoritism in the Juvenile Fillies (G1) if she wins at Keeneland. The $250,000 Phoenix S. (G3) has Sprint (G1) overtones, with 2008 Sprint runner-up FATAL BULLET (Red Bullet) tuning up for his return to Oak Tree, and King’s Bishop S. (G1) hero CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN (Candy Ride [Arg]) looking to establish his form over a synthetic track. She Be Wild has recorded three convincing victories in her racing career. After debuting with a 7 1/4-length trouncing over $40,000 maiden-claiming rivals at Arlington on May 30, the Wayne Catalano-trained dark bay made a seamless transition to stakes company in the August 8 Top Flight S., drawing off to a 5 1/4-length decision. The stalker continued her ascension in the one-mile Arlington-Washington Lassie on September 5, blowing out the competition en route to a 5 3/4-length score. Garrett Gomez will pick up the mount.

Eleven other fillies are set for the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades, including Spinaway
(G1) and Schuylerville S. (G3) runner-up BEAUTICIAN (Dehere); Adirondack S. (G2)
runner-up SASSY IMAGE (Broken Vow), who exits a fourth in the Spinaway; Grade 3
victress DECELERATOR (Dehere), who will look to rebound from unplaced efforts in
the Adirondack and Schuylerville; Canadian invader NEGLIGEE (Northern Afleet), who finished second
by a half-length in the Ontario Debutante S. most recently; unbeaten KID KATE
(Lemon Drop Kid), winner of the off-the-turf Junior Champion S. at Monmouth last
out; and TIDAL POOL (Yankee Gentleman), who exits a three-length victory over
allowance/optional claiming rivals at Saratoga.

Fatal Bullet turned in an excellent performance at Oak Tree last year,
setting the pace before grudgingly yielding to Midnight Lute in the stretch, and
that is the only setback in his last five starts on a synthetic track. The Reade
Baker pupil didn’t fire on dirt in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2) last time,
trailing the field in sixth at the wire, but he’s eligible to bounce back with a
much-improved performance in the six-furlong Phoenix. Regular rider Eurico Da
Silva will be in to guide the four-year-old gelding.

Capt. Candyman Man has enjoyed a terrific three-year-old campaign, compiling
wins in the Hutcheson S. (G2), Bay Shore (G3) and Matt Winn S. as well as the
King’s Bishop. The Ian Wilkes trainee didn’t fire when trying the
Polytrack at Arlington last season, but the bay gelding has been training well
in advance of this start. Javier Castellano will
retain the mount on Capt. Candyman Can, who will be make his first appearance at
six furlongs this year.

Grade 2 winner MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) also merits respect in the
10-horse field. A commendable third in the Commonwealth S. (G2) last April at
Keeneland, the Al Stall Jr. runner exits a solid fourth-place effort on dirt in
the Forego S. (G1).