Capt. Candyman Can Could in the Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park

In yesterday's Hutcheson, Capt. Candyman Can showed he's got a learning curve when he was able to settle down, drop back off the pace, then come on easily in the lane to dispose of Hello Broadway.

I wonder if the connections really wanted Hello Broadway to run on the front end. He seemed to be pulling a bit, but then sort of treaded water as they neared the wire, without actually appearing spent. Capt. Candyman Can had more momentum, but neither jockey was all over their horse.

If Hello Broadway couldn't stay with the leader at this distance, as the Equibase chart reports, it doesn't seem as if stretching out further is only going to improve him, as some, including me, expected.  While it's hard to determine, with both jockeys seeming to conserve their horses, maybe Hello Broadway lacks the mentality of a winner. Although he won a gritty stretch duel as a two year old, as a three year old Hello Broadway has now hit the board both on the front end and coming from behind, without winning.   Before the Hutcheson, it was easy to surmise he needed more racing room, but it's a bit of a stretch, so to speak, for that assumption to hold when he's unable to hang onto the lead in a moderately paced race at seven furlongs.  He might be a perpetual place horse, doing enough to raise the hopes of his connections, but personally most comfortable as a bridesmaid.