Live Oak pair, Star Candy and Ticker Tape Home, set for Grade 3 Whimsical test
TORONTO, April 30, 2025– The field for Saturday’s $150,000 Whimsical Stakes Presented by Crown Royal (G3) includes the Live Oak Plantation duo of Star Candy and Ticker Tape Home.
Woodbine’s six-furlong main track feature for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, will mark the first start of 2025 for both Mark Casse trainees.
A 5-year-old homebred daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Giant Cats Eye, Star Candy won two of her eight starts in 2024, one coming on the E.P. Taylor turf, the other over the Woodbine main track.
The chestnut mare finished a closing fifth, less than three lengths behind the winner in the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes last November, in what was the final start of her 2024 season.
“She ran much better than fifth place sounds,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. “She had some traffic trouble and was very close for third with two other horses. It was a very good effort.”
Star Candy, whose purse earnings stand at $175,421, has had an increased work tab ahead of the Whimsical.
“She and Ticker Tape Home worked together from the gate last time,” noted Sullivan, of the five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 on April 18. “It was a really good work for both.”
Star Candy launched her career on August 20, 2022, at Woodbine, and finished second in a seven-furlong race on the E.P. Taylor turf. She stepped up to the Grade 1 ranks next time out and was eighth in the Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes. After a fifth to close out her season, she came back and broke her maiden in her 3-year-old debut on June 1, 2023.
Marge Williams is the groom.
A daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the War Front mare Journey Home, Ticker Tape Home will make the first start of her 5-year-old campaign in the Whimsical.
She arrives at her latest stakes engagement off a fourth, 2 ½ lengths behind the winner, in the Ontario Fashion Stakes (G3) last October. One race prior, the dark bay netted her first graded stakes score when she eked out a game neck victory in the seven-furlong Seaway (G3) on August 24.
“I watched the replay to remind myself of the Seaway,” said Sullivan. “Patrick [Husbands] was riding her with a lot of confidence and was patient waiting for the traffic to clear – loved how she kicked home.”
Ticker Tape home debuted on July 2, 2022, at Woodbine. Sent on her way as the 2-1 choice in the six-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor turf, she took the lead past the three-sixteenths, and finished second, a half-length behind the winner.
After an eighth and fifth, respectively, in her next two starts, Ticker Tape Home broke her maiden in style over seven furlongs on the turf.
Five-wide turning for home, she soon struck front and went on to a 9 ¾-length win in a time of 1:22.61 over firm ground.
She also delivered a strong performance in the 2023 Fury Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada.
With Husbands aboard, Ticker Tape Home secured a four-length win for her first stakes success. It was Casse’s seventh (he won his eighth in 2024 with Olivia Rose) Fury crown.
“She came into the race doing very well,” said Husbands after the race. “She is a very nice horse.”
Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, Ticker Tape Home has compiled a 4-2-0 mark from 16 career starts, accompanied by $273,916 in purse earnings. She was a $625,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.
Jonny Bottoni is the groom.
Other starters include Earhart. Bred by Ecurie Des Monceaux & LNJ Foxwoods SC, the daughter of Siyouni (FR) out of the Shamardal mare Aviatress (IRE) won her first two starts, both at Woodbine, by a combined 17 ¾ lengths, before a third in the Likely Exchange Stakes this January at Turfway Park. Trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, Earhart sold for €1.4 million at the 2022 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale.
Last year, Play the Music, under Patrick Husbands, won the Whimsical. It marked the third straight year (Our Secret Agent in 2022, and Our Flash Drive in 2023) that trainer Mark Casse won the race. Willies Folly won the inaugural edition in 1956. Kitty Girl won consecutive runnings in 1958 and 1959. Prospective Dolly won a record three Whimsical Stakes – 1991, 1993 and 1994.
The Whimsical is Race 8 on Saturday's 10-race card. The wagering menu for the race includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 8-9-10), and $1 Swinger. First post time is 1:05 p.m.
Field for the $150,000 Whimsical Stakes (G3)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Earhart (FR) – Rafael Hernandez – Josie Carroll
2 – Ms. Tart – Addiel Ayala – Kevin Rice
3 – Gal in a Rush – Ryan Munger – Christophe Clement
4 – Ticker Tape Home – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
5 – Star Candy – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
