Joseph Rausch and David Zell’s 3-year-old Capt. Candyman Can was eased back to the inside off an early pace duel in Friday’s $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park until jockey Julien Leparoux swung him to the outside near the quarter pole and powered to score by 1½ lengths over Elizabeth Valando’s 2-1 favorite Hello Broadway in the seven-furlong test.

The victory marked the fourth of the afternoon for Leparoux as Capt. Candyman Can paid $7.40 to win as the third choice in the field of six while timed in 1:23:69 over the fast track. Capt. Candyman Can, who is trained by Ian Wilkes, is a son of Candy Ride who was making his first start since a close-up third-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29.

J. Robert Harris Jr.’s 35-1 longshot Bee Cee Cee rallied for third, 4½ lengths behind the runner-up. MiJak Stable’s Salo Jak finished another head back in fourth. Eli Gindi’s Break Water Edison was the second choice, but was never a threat finishing last of six.

Winning Jockey Quotes

Julien Leparoux:

“He was very good today. I was able to back him off (at the rail) and take him to the outside. It wasn’t a problem. I wanted to keep him in the clear from there. There were no excuses today. (Too soon to think of the Kentucky Derby?”) A lot can happen between now and May. We still have a lot to do. The big difference today was he listened. His last race, he went to the front and wouldn’t listen. Today, he was good.”

Winning Trainer Quote

Ian Wilkes:

“All we were looking for from him today was to relax. We’ve been teaching him to (relax) in the mornings, but until they do it in the afternoon you don’t know whether they get it. Julien (Leparoux) was able to get him back out of there (early speed duel down backstretch) and he came on from there. The second horse (Hello Broadway) ran a great race, too, and never gave up. We’ll talk it over with the owners, but the Fountain of Youth Stakes (Feb. 28) would certainly be logical.”

Fractions:

23:76, 46:14, 1:10:83 & 1:23:69