The Rise of Candy Ride

Had it not been for Arrogate , Lane's End's Candy Ride  would have been lauded as the leading North American sire for 2017.

The 19-year-old Argentine-bred son of Ride the Rails finished the year with seven graded stakes winners and $15,432,953 in progeny earnings. His top performer for the year was leading Horse of the Year candidate Gun Runner , who earned an impressive $6,950,700 in purses.

No one, however, could overcome the $13 million head start that Arrogate gave his sire, the late Unbridled's Song, in the first half of the racing season when he won the world's richest races: the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $10 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1).

Candy Ride has been a steady presence in the upper ranks of North America's leading sires for several years. He first broke into the top five on BloodHorse.com's general leading sire list in 2014, when his progeny earned more than $10 million for the first time in a single season and put Candy Ride fifth among the leaders. The sire's annual progeny earnings have not fallen below $10 million since then.

An undefeated, three-time grade 1 winner campaigned at 4 in the United States by Sid and Jenny Craig in 2003, Candy Ride entered stud at John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farms and achieved early success. He was the third-leading sire of his freshman sire class in 2008 by earnings and ranked fifth by earnings and fourth by black-type winners for both his second-crop and third-crop years.

In 2009, shareholders decided to relocate Candy Ride to Lane's End, where his stud fee doubled to $25,000 for the 2010 breeding season. As it turned out, 2010 would be a breakout year for the sire who was represented by four grade 1 winners that season: El Brujo (Pat O'Brien Stakes), Misremembered  (Santa Anita Handicap), Sidney's Candy (Santa Anita Derby), and Twirling Candy  (Malibu Stakes).

Candy Ride was tied that year with Dynaformer and Giant's Causeway  as the leading North American sire by number of grade/group 1 winners.

Gun Runner attracted the spotlight in 2017, but Candy Ride had 16 other black-type winners that included six other graded stakes winners. His other top performers of the year included grade 1 winners Ascend, Candy Sugar Lady, and Separationofpowers, along with graded winners Crewman, Mastery , Paid Up Subscriber, and Unified .

Through Jan. 14, Candy Ride has sired 71 (6%) black-type winners, of which 31 have won graded/group stakes. His graded/group winners include 11 that won at the highest level. A champion miler in Argentina, Candy Ride has sired four champions to date. His only North American champion is Shared Belief, a five-time grade 1 winner from 2013-15, who was honored as champion 2-year-old male for 2013.

Once a sire starts regularly occupying the upper echelon of the rankings, his sons grow in appeal as stallion prospects. Ten sons of Candy Ride have published fees for the 2018 season, with five just entering stud. The following is a summary of those sire/sons starting with the new sires of 2018.

Gun Runner (out of Quiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway). Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's star will contest the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 27 before heading to Three Chimneys, where he'll stand for $70,000. The 5-year-old has nine graded stakes victories (five grade 1s) among his 11 lifetime wins to date. He has earned $8,988,500 through Jan. 14. Gun Runner won four grade 1 races in 2017: the Stephen Foster Handicap, Whitney Stakes, Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, and Breeders' Cup Classic.

Mastery (Steady Course, by Old Trieste). Raced by Cheyenne Stables, Mastery was stamped early as a 3-year-old to watch and then validated the perception with a 6 3/4-length romp in the San Felipe Stakes (G2). Sadly that impressive performance produced a condylar fracture that ended his racing career. The colt retired undefeated in four starts with earnings of $511,200. He enters stud at Claiborne Farm for $25,000.

Unified (Union City, by Dixie Union). Centennial Farms acquired Unified for $325,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale out of the Lane's End consignment. He went on to win four times out of seven starts, with his best victories coming in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2), Bay Shore Stakes (G3), and the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (G3). He also finished second in the Carter Handicap (G1). Unified will enter stud at Lane's End for $10,000.

Eagle  (Sea Gull, by Mineshaft ). The William Farish homebred showed his mettle early by placing in graded company at 2. He went on to be tested seven more times in graded stakes, coming away with a victory in the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at Keeneland and finishing second in five others, including the grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap. Eagle compiled a 7-7-2 record out of 24 starts and retired with $754,186 in earnings. He enters stud at Valor Farm in North Texas for $5,000. 

Looking Cool (Coolwind, by Forest Wildcat). The Jim Tafel homebred had his best year at 3 when he won the Iowa Derby (G3) and finished second in the Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The colt has a 7-5-3 record out of 38 starts and earned $441,918. He is the second foal out of stakes winner Coolwind and a half brother to stakes-placed winner No Sweat (Blame ). Looking Cool enters stud this year at Indy Dancers Training Center near Mooresville, Ind., for $1,000.

Clubhouse Ride  (Seeking Results, by Seeking the Gold). Bred by Sid and Jenny Craig and raced by Six-S Racing Stable, Clubhouse Ride won the Californian Stakes and placed in the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, and the CashCall Futurity (all G1). He compiled a 5-9-10 record out of the 43 starts and retired with $1,341,132 in earnings. Clubhouse Ride entered stud at Harris Farms near Coalinga, Calif., where he stands for $2,500. His first foals are 2-year-olds of 2018.

Kettle Corn  (Somethingbeautiful, by Lil E. Tee). Bred by Jim Plemmons, Kettle Corn was later acquired by Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stable that won or placed in 10 graded stakes with the colt. Kettle Corn won the San Diego Handicap (G2) and Native Diver Handicap (G3) and placed in three grade 1s, including the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes and twice in the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap. Injury forced his retirement in 2013, and he entered stud at Fair Winds Farm near Waynesville, Ohio, where he stands this year for $2,500. Kettle Corn's first foals turn 3 this year. His best performers to date are winners Silky Tassels and Kettle Chrome. 

Misremembered (Beyond Perfection, by Quack). Bred by trainer Bob Baffert and raced by his wife, Jill, in partnership with George Jacobs, Misremembered won or placed in eight graded stakes, including a victory in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). He retired with a 6-5-0 record out of 13 starts and earnings of $1,306,709. Misremembered entered stud in 2011 in Kentucky and then relocated to California last year. This year he is standing at Barton Thoroughbreds for $2,500. Misremembered has sired 37 winners to date, including Ax Man, who won by 9 1/2 lengths Jan. 1 at Santa Anita Park, in his first start. He also sired black-type winner Nightly News and grade 2-placed winner Dazzling Gem.

Twirling Candy (House of Danzing, by Chester House). The Craig Family Trust homebred distinguished himself at 3 by winning four of five starts, which included victories in the Malibu Stakes (G1) and the Del Mar Derby (G2). He added the Strub Stakes (G2) and Californian Stakes (G2) to his winning record and placed in the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes and Hollywood Gold Cup (both G1). As a sire, he is the second-leading third-crop sire of 2017 by earnings and has been represented by 11 black-type winners, including three graded winners—Finley'sluckycharm, Danzing Candy , and Morticia. Twirling Candy entered stud at Lane's End, where he is standing this year for $25,000. Danzing Candy entered stud in 2018 at Rancho San Miguel in California for $5,000.

Red Vine  (Murky Waters, by Storm Creek). Jon and Sarah Kelly campaigned Red Vine from 3 to 6 with trainer Christophe Clemente. The colt shined brightest at 5 when he won the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park and placed in five other graded stakes, including the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes, Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and Cigar Mile Handicap (all G1). Red Vine stands at Xanthus Farms in Pennsylvania for $3,500. His first foals are yearlings of 2018.