Valentine Candy Faces Up-and-Comers in Amsterdam

Multiple stakes winner Valentine Candy , in search of his first graded victory, faces no easy task in the $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course July 26, when he will encounter several up-and-coming 3-year-olds.

A five-time winner in 10 starts, Valentine Candy has earned just shy of a half-million dollars while winning four stakes. The biggest hurdle so far for the Justify   colt to clear is adding a graded stakes win to his résumé.

In two attempts, both over seven furlongs at the grade 1 level, Valentine Candy was soundly beaten. The colt cuts back to 6 1/2 furlongs following his fifth-place finish in the June 8 Woody Stephens.

Bred by Pine Creek LP, Valentine Candy was a $250,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale by Jackpot Farm, who owns the colt alongside William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Whispering Oaks Farm, and Coteau Grove Farms.

The number of challengers is small, but each colt has shown progressing talent that could make him a viable candidate to take a step forward.

Juddmonte homebred Pure Force  won easily in both career starts, including a last-out five-length allowance score going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs June 19. Overseen by trainer Brad Cox's son and assistant Blake, the Constitution   colt has settled into Saratoga well, recording a bullet half-mile in :47 July 13.

"He seems like he likes it up here," said the younger Cox. "He is a horse that always puts a lot into his works. He doesn't need any company, he knows his job."

Donegal Racing's Donegal Momentum  debuted going six furlongs over a muddy Aqueduct Racetrack surface with an 8 1/4-length victory May 16. The Uncle Mo   colt then was defeated a half-length by 4-year-old Surface to Air  in a one-turn mile at Aqueduct June 27.

"This is a big step up in class," said trainer Tom Morley. "From what I'm gauging, it is a very contentious field of unexposed 3-year-old colts who are trying to make a splash on the scene."

Godolphin also joins the party with homebred Jefferson Street . A two-time winner in five starts, both scores have come by open lengths, including his June 8 allowance victory at the Spa by eight lengths going this distance. His three defeats, all third-place finishes, have come to stakes-caliber horses General Partner , Be You , and Raging Torrent .

"I just hope he runs as well as he did last time," said trainer Bill Mott. "They get stronger as they go along, and he's slowly worked his way to that."

Rounding out the field is Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's World Record . Following an eye-catching 6 1/4-length maiden win at Churchill Downs May 27, the son of Gun Runner   ran third, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, behind Raging Torrent and Otto the Conqueror  in the June 30 Maxfield Stakes.

The Amsterdam is race three with post time at 2:18 p.m. ET.