Last year, horse trainer Todd Fincher saw talented filly Flying Connection win the Sunland Oaks.
This year, the New Mexico-based trainer has another star, 3-year-old filly with Candy Aisle. On Friday afternoon at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino, Candy Aisle proved her worth in winning the $65,000 Borderplex Stakes, a key prep race for the $250,000 Sunland Oaks.
After bobbling at the start and losing precious early position, the 3-year-old, Kentucky-bred daughter of Gun Runner was bottled up along the inside behind the leading pair of Raspberry Wine and Illusive Star down the backstretch. Jockey Felipe Valdez swung Candy Aisle to the outside turning for home and picked up a head of steam, rallying past Illusive Star in the final 100 yards to win by a length, racing 6 1/2 furlongs in a time of 1 minute, 16.9 seconds.
Candy Aisle, who was the 2-5 post time favorite, has now won three straight races, all in New Mexico after debuting last summer at Del Mar. She won the Manzano Stakes at Albuquerque Downs before winning the Zia Princess Stakes last November. Candy Aisle, owned by G. Randy Andrews, Jim Cone, Brad King and R. Lee Lewis.
Candy Aisle was sold as a weanling for $250,000 by Hidden Brook Farm at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale
“We’re pointing her to the Sunland Oaks and we’ve been working with her to run a longer distance and she’s coming along well,” Fincher said.
Candy Aisle wasn’t the only Hidden Brook sales grad performing on the 4-Stakes Sunland card. September grad Go West picked up a black type check in the Fort Bliss Stakes. A 5-time winning son of Street Sense bred by Bonne Chance Farm, Go West has now bankrolled $325,334.
-edited from www.elpasotimes.com
