August 17 saw a pair of major races for 3-year-old fillies, the Alabama Stakes (G1) and Del Mar Oaks (G1T). On the East Coast, favored Candied, a daughter of Candy Ride , was denied an Alabama victory when the late run of Power Squeeze carried that rival to the lead in the dying stride. Just a few hours later on the West Coast, however, the Candy Ride sire line did prevail as Twirling Candy 's daughter Iscreamuscream captured the Del Mar Oaks by 1 1/2 lengths.
This was the fourth victory in as many starts for Iscreamuscream, who made a winning debut over six furlongs on the turf at Santa Anita Park in October last year. She wasn't seen again in public until June, when she added an allowance optional claiming event over the same course and distance. From there it was straight into black-type competition, with Iscreamuscream going wire-to-wire to defeat the subsequent Del Mar Oaks third, Zona Verde, by three-quarters of a length in the San Clemente Handicap (G2T).
Iscreamuscream's sire, Twirling Candy, also campaigned exclusively in California. There he won seven of 11 starts from 2 to 4, proving himself a notably versatile performer with regard to both distance and surface. A winner of his only start as a juvenile, in 2010 at 3 Twirling Candy took the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (G1) on dirt while setting a track record. On turf that year he won the one-mile Oceanside Stakes and 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2T). The following year, over 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, he captured the Strub Stakes (G2) by 4 1/2 lengths and Californian Stakes (G2), and over a furlong further he missed by a head to Acclamation —champion older horse that year—in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) and was third by a neck in Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (G1).
The versatility evident in Twirling Candy's race record has also been expressed in his stud career. He's now responsible for 53 stakes winners from his first nine crops, and they include graded winners from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles on both dirt and turf. In addition to Iscreamuscream, he has also been represented by other grade 1 scorers Rombauer (2021 Preakness Stakes, G1), Finley'sluckycharm (2018 Madison Stakes, G1), Concrete Rose (2019 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes, G1T), Collusion Illusion (2020 Bing Crosby Stakes, G1), Gift Box (2019 Santa Anita Handicap, G1), Beyond Brilliant (2021 Hollywood Derby, G1T), Pinehurst (2021 Del Mar Futurity, G1), and Exaulted (Shoemaker Mile Stakes, G1T).
Twirling Candy is enjoying a particularly strong 2024, with 10 individual stakes winners—including other graded scorers Where's My Ring, Ag Bullet, and Walkathon—a total surpassed this year by only four active stallions—Into Mischief , Justify , Curlin , and Twirling Candy's fellow Candy Ride son, Gun Runner .
Iscreamuscream's dam, Silver Screamer, was a talented turf performer in her own right, winning the 2012 Eatontown Handicap (G3T) and Lady Baltimore Stakes. Silver Screamer is also a sister to Sixtyone Margaux, who took the 2002 Serena's Song Stakes on dirt. The second dam, West Sider (by Gone West), finished second four times in 10 starts but was never able to win a race. She is, however, a sister to Western Fame, who won the 1997 Suffolk Downs Breeders' Cup Handicap and placed in a pair of graded stakes. West Sider is also half sister to Fantastic City, the dam of Canadian stakes winner Stay Fantastic, and to Trumps High, the granddam of stakes winner Byenne and of Huracan, 2007 champion older horse in Puerto Rico.
West Sider was out of Fariedah, who gained bold black type with a victory in the 1989 Very Subtle Breeders' Cup Handicap. By Topsider out of the stakes-winning Secretariat mare Golden Highlights, Fariedah is thus a product of the very successful cross of Northern Dancer-line stallions over Secretariat mares, one that produced classic winners Secreto and Summer Squall, juvenile champions Dehere and Holy Roman Emperor, as well as Storm Cat and seven other grade 1 winners.
The dam of Golden Highlights, Barely Even, was an exceptional performer. She won 17 of her 30 starts, nine of them black type, including the 1971 Golden Rod Stakes and Astarita Stakes, and 1972 Falls City Handicap, Ashland Stakes, and New York Handicap. She also finished second or third 10 times, all of them in stakes, including when second to Susan's Girl in the 1972 Kentucky Oaks.
Barely Even also turned out to be an important broodmare. Her offspring were headed by the 1988 Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) heroine One of a Klein, and Sulemeif, successful in the 1984 Suwannee River Handicap (G3T). She is also ancestress of 49 stakes winners, most notably Still In Love, who annexed the Japanese Filly Triple Crown in 2003; Robe Decollete (by Iscreamuscream's broodmare sire, Cozzene), winner of the 2007 Japanese Oaks; Summer Colony, whose six graded triumphs included the 2002 Personal Ensign Handicap (G1); and the 2012 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner Gemologist.
Iscreamuscream is one of two stakes winners from just 10 starters by Candy Ride and his sons out of mares by Cozzene, but Candy Ride has enjoyed further success with the Siberian Express/In Excess branch of Cozzene's sire, Caro. In addition, Caro features as broodmare sire of Unbridled's Song, and mares by Unbridled's Song and sons have proved an excellent foil for both Candy Ride and Twirling Candy.
