Northern Candyride Wins To Much Coffee at Hoosier Park
Northern Candyride picked up his second career stakes win at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino Sunday, Oct. 23. Ridden by Rodney Prescott, the four-year-old gelding rallied late in the stretch to earn the win in the $84,000 To Much Coffee Stakes during the closing day racing program.
Starting from post 11 in the bulky field of 12, Northern Candyride showed good early speed but could not get over to the inside early due to early speed on the inside from Motown Boy and Terry Thompson. Prescott opted to sit in the second pack of horses and follow along as Motown Boy, Pass The Crown and Chris Emigh, and Bellamy Jones, with Fernando De La Cruz stayed together in the first pack. Heading toward the final turn, Northern Candyride began to make his move. He closed the gap on the top ones and was three-wide around the final turn, gaining momentum for the stretch drive.
In the stretch, Northern Candyride rallied to the lead and was in full command of the field in the final strides, winning the race by one and one-quarter lengths. Brickyard with leading rider Leandro Goncalves closed in late for second followed by Heza Wild Guy and Marlon St. Julien for third.
We ended up wide in the first turn, but I wanted to keep him in the mix early, said Prescott. He (Northern Candyride) was able to lay just off the early pace and when I asked, he responded. We were wide too in the final turn but he dug in and was tough all the way to the wire.
This is the third straight win for Prescott aboard Northern Candyride. The son of Candy Ride has three wins in seven starts for 2011 and four wins in seven career starts at Hoosier Park. His career earnings increased to more than $200,000 with his win in the To Much Coffee Stakes.
The To Much Coffee Stakes is named after the horse To Much Coffee, who was dominant during the first few years of racing at Hoosier Park. Always noted by then track announcer Peter Kleinhans as the horse missing an o from his name, To Much Coffee was a track record holder at Hoosier Park and a stakes winner. Leading rider Jon Court was the regular jockey aboard To Much Coffee during his campaign at Hoosier Park.