Vuelve Candy B.
Vuelve Candy B (March 6, 1988- August 9, 1998) (sire: Double Dewan by Dewan, dam: Highly Impressive by High Echelon) was arguably one of the most popular champions in Puerto Rican Thoroughbred racing. The grey colt won the Puerto Rican triple crown in 1991 and the Clasico del Caribe that same year. He also won Puerto Rico's Horse of the Year award twice (1991,1992) and is the first and only horse in Puerto Rico to win over one million dollars.
On the track
Owned by Establo Nori Annette and trained by Candelario Bonilla, Vuelve Candy B. was foaled in Potrero Hermosura in Puerto Rico. As a yearling in 1989 he was acquired by the RI-JE-SU Stable for the sum of $20,000. Originally named "Oiste Candy B," he won his debut race on August 8, 1990 while ridden by Edwin Castro. The horse finished his two-year-old season (1990) with 3 first places, 2 second places and one third place finish in six races.
In 1991 Oiste Candy B won his last race with his original name. The horse's owner was arrested and his horses were sold in a federal auction. Later that year, he was acquired by Luito Hernandez, owner of the Est. Nori Annette, in a federal auction by $75,000. His new owner decided to change the name of the horse to Vuelve Candy B. That year, Vuelve Candy B. won 13 straight races including the Puerto Rican Triple Crown ridden by Alexis Feliciano. He also won the Clasico Dia de la Raza and Clasico Budweiser that same year. He came in first place in the Clasico Dia del Veterano but was disqualified to second place in favor of Trata Voltage due to hampering in the final stretch. In December 1991, Vuelve Candy B. represented Puerto Rico in the Clasico del Caribe which was celebrated at the El Nuevo Comandante horse track in Puerto Rico. Vuelve Candy B., ridden by Julio A. Garcia, finished third but a few days later was declared the official winner of the race because of the disqualification of Venezuelan horses Rio Chamita and Landrea due to positive testing of illegal substances.
In 1992 at the age of four, Vuelve Candy B. continued his dominance by winning 14 out of 15 races. Among them were the Clasico Eugenio María de Hostos, the Clasico Dia de las Madres, the Clasico Antonio R Barcelo, the Clasico Dia de La Raza and the Clasico Dia del Veterano. He lost his last race of the year in the Cofraternity Cup to By Pass, a Panamanian horse.
In 1993, Vuelve Candy B. won another 19 races (13 of them consecutively) and setting a record for the most stakes won in Puerto Rican Horse Racing. He battled Imbuia Pajoqui, a Puerto Rican filly, in many of this stakes creating sensation among the Puerto Rican horse racing fans.
As a six-year-old, Vuelve Candy B. won the Clasico Eugenio María de Hostos by defeating 1993 Clasico del Caribe winner, Verset's Jet. This was Vuelve Candy B. only win against Verset's Jet who won his next 6 races against Vuelve Candy B.
In May 1994, Vuelve Candy B. won his 16th and last stakes race by winning his third Clasico Dia de las Madres, beating Imbuia Pajoqui by a nose. After this, Vuelve Candy B. kept racing but began to win less and less. On December 1994, VCB won his seventy fourth and last race while ridden by Wilfredo Rohena.
In 1995, he participated in the Clasico Luis Muñoz Marín but did not finish due to an injury.
As a sire
Vuelve Candy B. went on to a career as sire producing Alejandro Luis Too, Roxana Milagros, Rayo Dorado, and El Curro among others. But in 1998, he was brought back to race at El Nuevo Comandante. On the morning of August 9, 1998 Vuelve Candy B. suffered a severe injury in his stall and was humanely euthanized.
Vuelve Candy B. ended his racing career with 64 wins in 87 races. He came in second 14 times, third 7 times, and fourth 3 times. He ran only one race out of the money (a DNF). His total career earnings amounted to $1,167,625.46.