Candy Spots (USA)
April 14, 1960 – March 1976
Nigromante (ARG) x Candy Dish (USA), by Khaled (GB)
Family 2-e
April 14, 1960 – March 1976
Nigromante (ARG) x Candy Dish (USA), by Khaled (GB)
Family 2-e
Named for the white and black spots scattered over his chestnut coat, Candy Spots was a striking sight on the racetrack. His unusual appearance did not detract in the least from his talent, which was enough to make him the second-rated colt of his crop at both 2 and 3. Unfortunately, he was not nearly as good a stallion as he was a racer, though he did sire the dams of 1982 American champion older male Lemhi Gold and 1978 American co-champion juvenile filly Candy Eclair.
Race record
22 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, US$824,718
1962:
1963:
1965:
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1962, 1 pound below champion Never Bend.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1963, 1 pound below champion Chateaugay.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965, 12 pounds below co-highweights Roman Brother (the official champion and Horse of the Year), Kelso and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A rawboned chestnut horse of great size (he stood over 16.2 hands as an early 3-year-old) and scope, Candy Spots had the flat musculature of a stayer and a long sweeping stride. He was quite athletic and handy for his size. His ankles were coarse but his joints were otherwise correct and clean. His quarters were wide and powerful and his hind leg was straight with excellent leverage from hip to hock. His disposition was excellent. He was injured in his final start as a 3-year-old, the Aqueduct Stakes, and though he came back as a stakes winner at 5, he was not quite as good as he had been earlier.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Candy Spots sired 143 winners (56.3%) and eight stakes winners (3.1%) from 254 named foals.
Notable progeny of daughters
Candy Eclair (USA), Lemhi Gold (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Candy Spots was bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth.
Pedigree notes
Candy Spots' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He was sired by 1957 Argentine champion sire Nigromante from 1956 Hollywood Oaks winner Candy Dish and is a full brother to Candy Pandy, third dam of 1983 Dominican Republic champion 3-year-old male Mr. John.
Candy Dish is a full sister to 1952 Santa Susana Handicap winner Season's Best; to multiple stakes winner Bequeath; to 1958 Hollywood Oaks winner Midnight Date; and to stakes winner Aunt Het, dam of 1960 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Het's Pet and multiple stakes winner Het's Cadet (both by All Blue). Candy Dish is also a full sister to Time to Khal, dam of the high-class handicap horse Prove It (by Endeavour II), whose victories included the 1961 Santa Anita Handicap and 1962 Hollywood Gold Cup. In addition, Candy Dish is a full sister to Best Form, dam of 1964 Cinema Handicap winner Close By (by Toulouse Lautrec), multiple Mexican stakes winner Jerri Dance (by Nigromante), and stakes winner Tannyhill (by Prince Royal II).
Candy Dish and her siblings were produced from the unraced Beau Pere mare Feather Time, whose full sister U Time won the 1946 Hollywood Lassie Stakes and Starlet Stakes and 1947 Hollywood Oaks and is the third dam of 1975 Italian champion 3-year-old male Laomedonte and Norwegian Group 3 winner Kavega. Produced from the Time Maker mare Heather Time (who was a multiple stakes winner at 2), Feather Time is also a half sister to 1954 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Correspondent and juvenile stakes winners California Kid and Heather Khal (all by Khaled). In addition, Feather Time is a half sister to Scottish Miss (by Alibhai), dam of stakes winner Gaelic Lad (by Swaps)
Fun facts
Last updated: February 17, 2024
Race record
22 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, US$824,718
1962:
- Won Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA, 7FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Futurity Trial (USA, 6.5FD, Arlington Park)
1963:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Jersey Derby (USA, 9FD, Garden State)
- Won Florida Derby (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won American Derby (USA, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Arlington Classic (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Chicagoan Stakes (USA, 9FD, Washington Park)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1965:
- Won San Pasqual Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Santa Anita Handicap (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Carlos Handicap (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd San Antonio Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1962, 1 pound below champion Never Bend.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1963, 1 pound below champion Chateaugay.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965, 12 pounds below co-highweights Roman Brother (the official champion and Horse of the Year), Kelso and Gun Bow.
As an individual
A rawboned chestnut horse of great size (he stood over 16.2 hands as an early 3-year-old) and scope, Candy Spots had the flat musculature of a stayer and a long sweeping stride. He was quite athletic and handy for his size. His ankles were coarse but his joints were otherwise correct and clean. His quarters were wide and powerful and his hind leg was straight with excellent leverage from hip to hock. His disposition was excellent. He was injured in his final start as a 3-year-old, the Aqueduct Stakes, and though he came back as a stakes winner at 5, he was not quite as good as he had been earlier.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Candy Spots sired 143 winners (56.3%) and eight stakes winners (3.1%) from 254 named foals.
Notable progeny of daughters
Candy Eclair (USA), Lemhi Gold (USA)
Connections
Foaled in California, Candy Spots was bred and owned by Rex Ellsworth.
Pedigree notes
Candy Spots' pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. He was sired by 1957 Argentine champion sire Nigromante from 1956 Hollywood Oaks winner Candy Dish and is a full brother to Candy Pandy, third dam of 1983 Dominican Republic champion 3-year-old male Mr. John.
Candy Dish is a full sister to 1952 Santa Susana Handicap winner Season's Best; to multiple stakes winner Bequeath; to 1958 Hollywood Oaks winner Midnight Date; and to stakes winner Aunt Het, dam of 1960 Hollywood Lassie Stakes winner Het's Pet and multiple stakes winner Het's Cadet (both by All Blue). Candy Dish is also a full sister to Time to Khal, dam of the high-class handicap horse Prove It (by Endeavour II), whose victories included the 1961 Santa Anita Handicap and 1962 Hollywood Gold Cup. In addition, Candy Dish is a full sister to Best Form, dam of 1964 Cinema Handicap winner Close By (by Toulouse Lautrec), multiple Mexican stakes winner Jerri Dance (by Nigromante), and stakes winner Tannyhill (by Prince Royal II).
Candy Dish and her siblings were produced from the unraced Beau Pere mare Feather Time, whose full sister U Time won the 1946 Hollywood Lassie Stakes and Starlet Stakes and 1947 Hollywood Oaks and is the third dam of 1975 Italian champion 3-year-old male Laomedonte and Norwegian Group 3 winner Kavega. Produced from the Time Maker mare Heather Time (who was a multiple stakes winner at 2), Feather Time is also a half sister to 1954 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Correspondent and juvenile stakes winners California Kid and Heather Khal (all by Khaled). In addition, Feather Time is a half sister to Scottish Miss (by Alibhai), dam of stakes winner Gaelic Lad (by Swaps)
Fun facts
- Candy Spots was the last male-line descendant of 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand to win an American Triple Crown race but, unlike 1960 Kentucky Derby winner Venetian Way, he was from a South American branch of the line.
- While at least one onlooker joshed that Candy Spots' dam must have been a cow because of the white spots in his coat, the actual source of his markings was probably his paternal great-grandsire Congreve, who had similar white spotting.
- Candy Spots was one of seven 20th-century colts to win four “Derby” races in North America during their 3-year-old seasons (a feat also accomplished by Ornament in the late 19th century). The others were Claude, Black Gold, Smarten, Snow Chief, Lost Code, and Olympio. Of the 20th-century “Derby kings,” only Black Gold included the Kentucky Derby in his quartet, a feat later duplicated by California Chrome in 2014.
Last updated: February 17, 2024