Eye Live For Candy, piloted by Rolando Pina, wins the $28,681 Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Thursday.

© Coady Photography

SHELBYVILLE, IN–SEPTEMBER 21, 2023–Eye Live for Candy was a determined starter in the $28,681 Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge Thursday, September 21 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. As Track Announcer John G. Dooley stated at the finish, ''She has stamped her ticket to Texas,'' with the win in the qualifier for the Bank of America Challenge Championships set for Saturday, October 21 at Lone Star Park.

Starting from post four, Eye Live for Candy came out of the gate well and was in contention for the lead after the first few jumps. Pina sat patiently on the mare as she dug in gamely during the 400-yard dash. 

In the end, she was able to repel Sawyer Strange and Fernando Morin, who were closing in late, for the win. One Cold Hearted Diva and Giovani Vazquez-Gomez represented the Indiana breds well with a strong third place finish.

Eye Live for Candy paid $4.00 as the favorite of the field. The four-year-old brown mare by A Revenant is owned by Milena Kwiecien. Jason Pascoe trains the mare, who earned her fourth stakes title in the effort.

''I was very pleased with how she ran today,'' said Pascoe of Eye Live for Candy. ''There was a nice little mares’ overnight stakes here in August, so we brought her down for that to give her a run over the track. We took her back home and then brought her back in this week for this race. The first trip was definitely a prep for today’s race.''

The winning connections of Eye Live For Candy accepts the $28,681 Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge trophy at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Thursday. © Coady Photography

Pascoe is based at Ajax Downs in Ajax, Ontario Canada. He has been training since 2005 and made a trip to the Bank of America Challenge a few years ago when it made a stop at Los Alamitos in 2017. He plans to return again this year with Eye Live for Candy.

''We’ll take her back home to Ajax and get ready for the final,'' added Pascoe. ''We still have a meet to finish up at Ajax (Downs). Then, we will head to Texas (Lone Star Park) with this mare.''

Eye Live for Candy has not been off the board in the past year and a half, showing the consistency of the mare. Overall, she has seven wins in 22 career starts with earnings of more than $120,000. The versatile mare has now won races at three different tracks under four different jockeys. Pina was aboard for the first time in the Q-Racing Video Distaff Challenge.

''She is hard to ride,'' admitted Pina. ''I was told she didn’t like the stick much. She broke a little bit slow, but I hesitated to bring out my stick. It seemed like every time I moved my hands, she thought I was going to use it and she hesitated, so I just let her run because she was doing so well without it. I didn’t want to do anything to mess her up. You can tell she’s intense on the track. She means ‘game on’ when it is time to go.''

Pascoe noted in the barn Eye Live for Candy is a sweetheart, but when she gets up to the paddock, she changes. She had her ears pinned when she came back to the winner’s circle.

''When she gets with other horses, she can get a little tough,'' said Pascoe, a native of Pontypool, Ontario. ''She’s all business on the track.''

Coming off two straight years as his best to date, Pascoe is currently leading the trainer standings once again at Ajax Downs. The multiple Graded Stakes Placed trainer adds Eye Live for Candy as the sixth horse from his barn who has eclipsed the six-figure mark in earnings.

Bred by Klay Hinck in Wyoming, Eye Live For Candy is out of Eyesa Candy Maker by Eyesa Special.

Trainer Ricardo Martinez saddled runner-up Sawyer Strange for owner/breeder Whiting Ranch. The daughter of Lota PYC has two career wins with $35,592 in the bank. The three-year-old filly was bred in Oklahoma out of the Dominyun mare Ms Haulic Chic.

Conditioned by Jessica Vazquez, One Coldhearted Diva placed third. The Indiana bred mare has three wins and $124,705 in earnings, including the Horseshoe Indianapolis Distaff Challenge last year. The five-year-old daughter of One Fabulous Eagle is bred and owned by Bennett Racing Stable and out of Whats Chilled Cat by Chilled Corona.

This Lady On Fire, Ec Abella, Three X A Ladie, Immeasurable and Country Celebration round out the order of finish.

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The 21st season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Friday, Nov. 17. Live racing is held Tuesday through Thursday with Saturday racing added in during the summer months. First post Tuesday and Wednesday is 2:30 p.m. Thursday and select Friday racing begins at 2:10 p.m. The Summer Saturday Racing Series includes three more all-Quarter Horse dates Aug. 12, Sept. 2, and Oct. 7 beginning at 10:45 a.m. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

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