Game as they come late, Ready for Candy (Twirling Candy) refused to be denied and timed her final jump to perfection to claim the GIII Winter Memories Stakes by a nose.The eye-catching filly began her career in the Great White North with trainer Mike DePaulo, and amassed a respectable career in his care with three stakes placings at Woodbine to her credit before she was entered into the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale earlier this season. She would change hands to new owners Lindy Farms for $400,000 and be moved to the barn of Philip Antonacci in advance of her first jump in his program at Saratoga.Officially still a maiden despite being graded-placed in Canada, she went to post Aug. 17 to finally leave the condition, and leave she did–stylishly donning cap and gown by 7 3/4 lengths over an outclassed field. With that out of the way, and armed with a career-best Beyer figure of 87 for that last out win, she drew in here eyeballing the even-money favorite GISP May Day Ready (Tapit).Breaking a bit slower than her outside competition, she was content to watch the race unfold from fourth as the betting choice stepped forward to push the issue. After six panels in 1:12.15, Ready for Candy was called on to close the gap to the top pair and she was poised to strike from four off the fence as they swung into the lane. Striking the front, she had to brace for the oncoming rush of Paradise City (McKinzie) as that one was rolling late with a full head of steam. The pair were in-sync in the final yards, but Ready for Candy would not be denied as she nailed that challenger right on the money. Decadent (Girvin) closed from even farther out to round the trifecta. May Day Ready faded late to finish seventh.“You can handicap all you want before the race but when those gates open, anything can happen,” said Antonacci, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program. The Winter Memories marked his first stakes victory as a trainer. “Us and May Day Ready both broke a little slow and you had outside speed going–May Day Ready kind of took off and I think Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] was patient with her [Ready for Candy] and luckily it set up well.“She's tough, she's game. You've got to let her do what she wants to do and don't fight her, but she'll put her heart out there for you. It's nice to see.”When asked about a start in the GII Sands Point Oct. 18, Antonacci said, “I think all options are open. We'll let her come back to us, see how she recovers and make a plan from there, but that's a logical spot.”“I had a good trip,” said Manny Franco, who was aboard the unlucky runner-up. “I did what the trainer told me: cover the filly up and see what happens. She ran good. The bob, they [Ready for Candy] got it, so just a little bit unlucky there with the bob, but she ran good.” READY FOR CANDY gets her first stakes win in the Grade 3 Winter Memories Stakes for trainer @PhilAntonacci, giving @RSantana_Jr his third win today! pic.twitter.com/JIZrkXtohG— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) September 20, 2025 Pedigree Notes:Ready for Candy is the third winner from four to race for the dam, Enoree. She has a placed juvenile half-brother named Mister Blue (Maclean's Music) who is the last registered offspring after the mare did not catch in subsequent breedings. She went to Essential Quality for 2026.Enoree is a half-sister to GSW Grand Bili (City Zip) and that one's full-sister MSP Conquest City Girl. Another of her half-siblings is the dam of SW Souper Sinclair (Souper Speedy) and SP Proud Speaker (Mr Speaker).Saturday, Belmont The Big AWINTER MEMORIES S.-GIII, $175,000, Belmont The Big A, 9-20, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.29, fm.1–READY FOR CANDY, 119, f, 3, by Twirling Candy 1st Dam: Enoree (SP), by More Than Ready 2nd Dam: Woodsmoke, by Langfuhr 3rd Dam: Forest Flute, by Woodman1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($70,000 RNA Ylg '23 KEESEP; $62,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT; $60,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR; $400,000 3yo '25 FTKFEB). O-Lindy Farms; B-Mark Dodson (ON); T-Philip Antonacci; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 9-2-3-2, $258,421. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.2–Paradise City, 118, f, 3, McKinzie–Washington Bridge, by Yankee Gentleman. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($25,000 RNA Ylg '23 KEESEP; $105,000 2yo '24 OBSOPN). O-C Two Racing Stable, Shining Stables LLC, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch and Kuehne Racing; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $35,000.3–Decadent, 118, f, 3, Girvin–One More Minute, by Istan. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($100,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL). O-Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), Savvy Stables and Stephen Dervenis; B-Brereton C. Jones (FL); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $21,000.Margins: NO, 2, HF. Odds: 2.68, 27.26, 26.12.Also Ran: Griselda (Fr), Sea To Sky (Ire), Scarlet Sands, May Day Ready, Ruth. Scratched: Kay Cup, Opulent Restraint (Ire), Trail of Gold. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.The post Ready for Candy Tough As Nails to Win Winter Memories appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.