Hit Show Gets Up in Mineshaft

[Wandering Eyes]

Last year's G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) sat a little closer to the front than usual and just got up to nail the wandering pacesetter 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Accelerize (Omaha Beach) by a head in Saturday's GIII Mineshaft S. at Fair Grounds. Time to Win (Not This Time) was third.

The even-money favorite tracked in a three-wide third through an opening quarter in :23.53. Back a spot into fourth through a half mile :47.04, Hit Show was asked to quicken three furlongs from home. He ranged up three deep at the top of the stretch and came rolling down the lane. Accelerize veered out beneath John Velazquez in deep stretch, but Hit Show just kept on coming to punch his ticket back to Dubai.

Hit Show stopped the timer for 1 1/16 miles in a sharp 1:42.49, just off the track record of 1:42.01, set by Olympiad in the 2022 edition of the Mineshaft.

“He's a fighter,” jockey Florent Geroux said. “When he's in a fight, he'll give it his all the entire way. He's always been regarded as a nice horse. He was on the Kentucky Derby trail as a 3-year-old. That development has helped him continue to step his game up from his 2-year-old season to now.”

“We knew coming into this race Accelerize was the horse to beat,” said Ricky Giannini, assistant trainer to Brad Cox. “He beat a nice one of ours, Just a Touch, in his last start. It was a dog fight the entire way. Hopefully, we can get lucky to get another Dubai World Cup win. We've had him since he was a 2-year-old when he was with Gary and Mary West. Now with Wathnan Racing, we really appreciate them keeping him in our care.”

Hit Show made five subsequent starts after his upset in the desert, including wins in the West Virginia Governor's S. at Mountaineer and GIII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland. He concluded his 2025 campaign with a runner-up finish in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 28.

Pedigree Notes:

Hit Show is one of 59 graded/group winners worldwide for Candy Ride (Arg). Broodmare sire Tapit is responsible for 68 graded/group winners worldwide.

Gary and Mary West homebred Actress, a daughter of Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Milwaukee Appeal, was a two-time graded winner. She was bred to Candy Ride for the 2026 season.

MINESHAFT S. PRESENTED BY HAGYARD-GIII, $242,500, Fair Grounds, 2-14, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.49, ft.
1–HIT SHOW, 122, h, 6, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Actress (MGSW, $545,150), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Milwaukee Appeal, by Milwaukee Brew
                3rd Dam: Appealing Forum, by Open Forum
O-Wathnan Racing; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $150,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE, 24-12-2-1, $9,052,183. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Accelerize, 124, c, 4, Omaha Beach–Motion Emotion, by Take Charge Indy. ($400,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC and Repole Stable; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
3–Time to Win, 118, r, 4, Not This Time–Nagambie, by Flatter. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($650,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC, Lawrence, William H., Big Easy Racing LLC, Titletown Racing Stables, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Goodrich, Ali and Parkinson, Mark; B-Fred W. Hertrich (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $25,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.10, 2.10, 3.70.
Also Ran: Duke of Duval, Stowaway, Moonlight. Scratched: Cadet Corps.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

HIT SHOW ($4.20) kept coming on the outside to get past Accelerize late to win the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at @Fairgroundsnola. The son of Candy Ride (@LanesEndFarms) is now 12 for 24 lifetime and now has over $9M in career earnings. @flothejock was up for @Bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/e4d2yi5M2O

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 14, 2026

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