Photo:

Susie Raisher / NYRA

No Mo Candy was the longest price on the board but defied her 18-1 odds in Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Pebbles, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was in recent headlines for Soul of an Angel’s last-to-first surprise in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar, and he continued his run of form as No Mo Candy earned her first graded-stakes score in her first stakes attempt, also just her fourth career outing.

Piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the Uncle Mo bay broke sharply from post 2 but it was Macanga from post 7 who swept the field to lead into the first turn. No Mo Candy settled into second position with Way to Be Marie to her outside as Macanga set an opening quarter-mile in 23.68 seconds on the firm turf.

Macanga continued to lead through the first turn with No Mo Candy content to stalk from second position, and Way to Be Marie and Dea Matrona filed into line behind her as the half-mile elapsed in 47.61.

Velazquez, who rode Macanga to a pacesetting fifth in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G20 in August, said he knew that rival was likely to set a hot pace.

“She broke really good, and I know Macanga is a difficult horse and she’s going to run off. When I tried to put her behind her, my filly got strong and I was like, ‘don’t get into a fight with me now,” Velazquez said.

In the far turn, the favored Chad Brown-trainee Oversubscribed improved position under Flavien Prat to find herself fourth behind Macanga, No Mo Candy and Way to Be Marie. On the front end, Macanga tried to shake off No Mo Candy who stuck to her side through three-quarters in 1:11.57.

“Second turn, Macanga started going and I put her right behind them. Into the stretch, she got head-and-head, and you could see she put a competitive mind up and when I asked her to go, she did it nicely,” Velazquez said.

Approaching the stretch call, No Mo Candy collared a stubborn Macanga and she had a clear jump on the rallying Oversubscribed. After seven-eighths in 1:23.31, No Mo Candy had enough in the tank to keep Oversubscribed 1 1/4-lengths back as she crossed the wire first in a final time of 1:34.84.

Way to Be Marie rallied for third with first time turfer Jody’s Pride completing the superfecta. Whiskey Decision, See You Around, Macanga and Dea Matrona rounded out the order of finish.

Main track-only entrants Save Us Melania and Best Impression were scratched.

Flavien Prat, aboard the Brown-conditioned Oversubscribed, said he didn’t expect the long shot No Mo Candy to kick on like she did. Brown also trained Dea Matrona who weakened late.

“I thought my trip was OK. I turned for home and I thought I was going to go by him at the eighth pole but as soon as I got to him he went on again,” said Prat.

Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm, No Mo Candy, out of the winning Blame mare Sweet, was an $80,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She banked $96,250 in victory while improving her record to 4: 3-1-0 and returning $38.40 for a $2 win bet.