CANDY RIDE HOPES FOR SWEET DEBUT.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Horse Racing 

INGLEWOOD - It's hard for you and me to believe, but easy for him. Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer Ron McAnally is 70. He saddled John Henry to win the American Handicap 20 years ago today.

``I've slowed down a lot, of course,'' McAnally said a few strides from his office in Hollywood Park's barn 70 at about 8 a.m. Thursday, the collar of his polo shirt hanging open around his ruddy neck on the steamy morning. ``But I feel good and I like what I'm doing - seven days a week. That's the important thing. Sometimes (his wife) Debbie gets a little upset with me because I spend so much time here and so little time with her.''

Once or twice, McAnally has given thought to retirement, when the racing industry's ills have seemed most acute and when a case of pneumonia sent him to the hospital for four days last winter.

``The horses are what really make it all worthwhile,'' McAnally said.

As he spoke, he nodded toward a blank brown face peeking out from the corner stall, belonging to a horse who seems to have rejuvenating powers.

How could Ron McAnally be slowing down when Candy Ride is just revving up?

Since Candy Ride came to California from the colt's native Argentina in January, McAnally has been uncharacteristically bold in his predictions, going as far as comparing the 4-year-old to John Henry at a similar stage of development.

Today, McAnally will begin to find out whether his expectations are justified, when Candy Ride makes his U.S. stakes debut in the $150,000 American Handicap.

Candy Ride, carrying a race-high 120 pounds and Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, is a 7-5 morning-line favorite in a seven-horse field that includes six stakes winners.

Though the American, a 1 1/8-mile race on turf, is an important event in itself, for Candy Ride it is meant to serve as a prep for the Aug. 24 Pacific Classic, the Del Mar headliner owners Sid and Jenny Craig of San Diego covet.

``It's just like with John Henry,'' McAnally said. ``People would ask me at the beginning, `How good can he be?' I'd say, `Time will tell.' You can't go out on a limb and say, `This is going to be a champion.' ''

But in the next breath, McAnally was talking about getting the same feeling when he's around Candy Ride as he did when he had John Henry (the 1981 and '84 Horse of the Year), Bayakoa (1989-90 champion filly), Tight Spot (1991 champion turf horse), Paseana (1992 champion filly) and Northern Spur (1995 champion turf horse).

``He does it so easily,'' McAnally said. ``His stride is so smooth - like a cat's.''

Candy Ride, the Argentina-bred offspring of the U.S.-born sire Ride the Rails and the Argentine dam Candy Girl, won his three starts in that country by a combined 28 lengths, winning on dirt and turf and romping at 1-2 odds in the Group 1 Gran Premio Juaquin S. de Anchorena International Stakes.

After that race, in December, McAnally took his Southern American scouts' advice and went to Buenos Aires to look at the colt. He made the purchase on behalf of the Craigs. Paseana had come to the same people the same way.

Since Candy Ride beat five allowance-level opponents by three lengths in a swift 1 1/16-mile race in his lone U.S. race June 7, he has been the most talked-about South American import here in years.

``He's a very special horse,'' said Alex Solis, who was Candy Ride's jockey that day because Stevens was out of the country. ``He's in a different league.''

The horse will have to prove that on the track, of course. The American Handicap, Hollywood's traditional Fourth of July feature, will be Candy Ride's longest and classiest race yet. And if he wins it, he'll need about two dozen more victories of this quality to match John Henry.

``I don't know if it's rejuvenating,'' McAnally, who turns 71 a week from today, said of having another good young horse. ``But it does give you something to look forward to.''

--Melting pot: Hollywood Park racing secretary Martin Panza created the American Oaks last year - and boosted its purse from $250,000 to $750,000 this year - to create a midyear showcase for Breeders' Cup-quality 3-year-old turf fillies. Fans might see it as a challenging opener for Saturday's pick-six, which carries a $1 million pool guarantee.

Among the 14 entrants are five making their U.S. debuts, including German-bred Italian Oaks winner Meridiana and Irish 1000 Guineas third-place Dimitrova, and six shipping in from other states.

Santa Catarina, Bob Baffert's Hollywood Oaks winner, is a 7-2 morning- line favorite as she makes her first grass appearance.

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- Kevin Modesti