Chisos Free Candy Dumps Kindergarten Competition

Chisos Free Candy and jockey Robert Skelly were central figures in an afternoon of upsets Saturday at Playfair Race Course, in more ways than one.

Chisos Free Candy, with Skelly at the reins, withstood repeated bids from No Passing Piney to record a neck victory in the 16th running of the Kindergarten Stakes, leaving the heavily favored Gottstein Futurity runner-up Wildwood Mac in his dust. Then, two strides past the finish line, Skelly lost his balance when the horse appeared to shy from the whip and he fell beside the inner rail.

Apparently kicked in the ribs, but protected by a flak jacket, Skelly arose after several minutes to join his mount in the winner’s circle.

Mighty Kenski, a 70-1 outsider, finished a distant third. Wildwood Mac, carried wide around the first turn, lacked his usual rally and would end up a well beaten ninth as the 4-5 favorite in the field of 10 2-year-olds.

Chisos Free Candy paid $18 to win. He ran 6 furlongs in 1:10-4/5. The race grossed $7.250 including $5,000 added, and the winner earned $3,988 for his second win along with three seconds in seven career starts.

Hockey

At Coleman, Alberta, Jared Hope scored two goals as the Spokane Chiefs defeated Lethbridge 4-1 in their final exhibition game.

The Chiefs open the regular season Saturday at the Tri-City Americans.

Darin Talotti and Derek Ames scored two goals apiece as the Spokane Braves won a 6-5 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game at Beaver Valley, British Columbia.

, DataTimes