In a day good for the runners who made the pace, Johnny's Red Storm (Twirling Candy) made every pole a winning one and took home the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes Sunday afternoon.
The George Weaver charge came into this race off a sterling debut Aug. 3 at Saratoga, where he similarly took a field of auction-price restricted maidens gate-to-wire by four lengths. Training well in New York since then and shipped down for the race, the betting public liked him to the tune of 8-5 odds, and he was the favorite when the gates opened.
Out to the front just as he had in his unveiling, the son of Twirling Candy rolled along through an opening sectional of :21.94 and a half in :44.73 with some moderate pressure coming from an outside challenger. Roused to put that one away by Frankie Dettori, who was enjoying quite an afternoon with three wins on the card at that point, Johnny's Red Storm responded well and kicked home to win by two lengths. 'TDN Rising Star' Obliteration (Violence) tried valiantly to cut into the margin, but had to settle for a clear-cut second. Stablemate Azizam (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) flew late to take third.
It was Dettori's fourth time in the winner's enclosure while Weaver claimed two of the trifecta spots via the winner and third-place finisher.
Johnny's Red Storm is the second successful offspring for Estoril behind winning eldest half-sister Momma Kim (Noble Mission {GB}). The last registered foal for the dam is a now yearling filly by Known Agenda after the mare did not produce a foal from her trip to Good Magic for 2025. Estoril, a half-sister to GSW Tide of the Sea (English Channel), does not have a 2026 breeding on record. This is the female line of MGISW Tates Creek (Rahy) and is the immediate family of MGSW Fulsome (Into Mischief) as well as European champion 2-year-old filly Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
JOHNNY'S RED STORM ($5.48) led all the way in the $1M Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. The fourth winner on today's @KYDownsRacing card for jockey @FrankieDettori. George Weaver trains this 2YO colt by @LanesEndFarms' Twirling Candy. pic.twitter.com/5gSYDZsXhU
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 31, 2025
KENTUCKY DOWNS JUVENILE SPRINT S., $946,000, Kentucky Downs, 8-31, 2yo, 6 1/2fT, 1:14.83, fm.
1–JOHNNY'S RED STORM, 120, c, 2, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Estoril, by Into Mischief
2nd Dam: Routine, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Tates Creek, by Rahy
($60,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-John J. Cronin, Jr., and RAP Racing; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-George Weaver; J-Lanfranco Dettori. $586,750. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $630,750.
2–Obliteration, 120, c, 2, Violence–I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command. ($200,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Leland Ackerley Racing, LLC; B-Ocala Stud (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $192,500.
3–Azizam (GB), 120, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Mimram (GB), by Kheleyf. (€46,000 Wlg '23 GOFNOF; £46,000 Ylg '24 GOFFUK; 115,000gns RNA 2yo '25 TATBRE). O-Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, Harrell Ventures LLC, Steve Adkisson, Brody Racing LLC, Pura Vida Investments LLC, Campeche Stables and Andrew Atkinson; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-George Weaver. $46,250.
Margins: 2, 1 3/4, 2. Odds: 1.74, 2.82, 5.63.
Also Ran: Twilight Delight, Longshoreman, Win N Juice, Trendsetter, Lawyer Mason, Zeus's Echo, Telecaster.
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