Fron Del Mar Publicity
DEL MAR, Calif. (July 22, 2023) – The Del Mar turf course has defined the career of California-bred Warrens Candy Girl, the upset winner of Saturday’s $134,500 Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares.
Warrens Candy Girl won for the fifth time in her 12th start on the course in the Osunitas at a mile, closing from 10th in a field of 14 to win by a length over 6-1 Awake at Midnyte.
Owned by breeders Ben and Sally Warren, Warrens Candy Girl may be switching surfaces for her next start. Trainer Craig Lewis said Warrens Candy Girl will be considered for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt on Aug. 5.
The $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 20 is another option. Warrens Candy Girl won the 2022 Solana Beach Stakes.
In the Osunitas, jockey Ramon Vazquez urged Warrens Candy Girl into contention with a wide rally on the turn. Warren’s Candy Girl took the lead in the final sixteenth, finishing in 1:35.35.
“I got a good trip,” Vazquez said. “I had a good position. I kept her outside and out of trouble.”
Awake At Midnyte finished a half-length in front of 5-1 Nevisian Sunrise. Freedom Flyer, Symphony Perfect, Lucky Girl, Canoodling, Ascendancy, Una Chiquitita Over Attracted, Very Scary, Anthonys Cleopatra, Honey Pants and Ladywearsthering completed the order of finish in a field of 14.
Not all the runners had clean trips. Only 3 1/2 lengths separated the first nine finishers. Nevisian Sunrise and Lucky Girl raced in traffic.
The Osunitas was restricted to non-winners of a first-place purse of $50,000 or more, other than a stakes for statebreds, at a mile or over since Sept. 1.
Warrens Candy Girl, by Clubhouse Ride, has won 6 of 24 starts and earned $499,360. The Osunitas was Warren Candy Girl’s second win in her last three starts. She won an allowance race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in April.
Warren’s Candy Girl ran the mile on turf in 1:35.35 and won by one length at odds of 10-1 in a field of 14.