Trainer Mark Casse planted a celebratory kiss on Bossy Candy’s gleaming neck as the crowd roared, moments after the brave young filly stormed home to capture the Bossy Candy Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday. Jockey Rafael Hernandez lifted his whip skyward in triumph, grinning widely as he jogged her back past the grandstand to warm applause from an appreciative audience.
It was only her second career start, but Bossy Candy carried herself like a seasoned star. Breaking smartly from the inside draw in the six-furlong test for Ontario-bred or Ontario-sired two-year-old fillies, she settled comfortably in third while Souper Diva dictated early terms through an opening quarter of :22.72.
Bossy Candy Shady Well heroics unfold in thrilling stretch run
Hernandez kept the rail path tight, improving smoothly to second at the half in :46.00 before angling out to challenge. Souper Diva, already a dual stakes winner this season, battled with determination turning for home, but Bossy Candy’s stride grew longer and stronger as she ranged up in the three-path.
With 125 yards left, she forged ahead and drew clear, securing a polished two-length success in 1:11.48. Souper Diva was 3 ÂĽ lengths better than Mathematical in second, with Pageant Queen completing the top four. Gray Dee One was withdrawn prior to the start.
The victory confirmed the promise Bossy Candy hinted at in her sharp debut on November 1, when she finished second after a troubled beginning in a maiden special weight event at the same distance.
“The first time, she just missed the break a little bit and got intimidated down the turn,” Hernandez recalled. “Once she got clear, she really finished. I knew she would learn from that, and today I was totally confident.”
Owned by Gregory Tramontin and Michael Stevens, the daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of Casey’s Dreamin’ was bred by A & A Farms and W. S. Farish. Purchased for $75,000 earlier this year, she continues to show the progress and professionalism of a filly with significant upside.
Her win marked Hernandez’s 22nd stakes success of the current racing season, cementing his stronghold at the top.
The Shady Well triumph now sets the stage for an exciting winter and beyond, with connections already hinting that bigger stages may soon await the emerging star.
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