Grade 1 winner Hit Show, sired by the renowned Candy Ride, is set to begin his stud career at Lane’s End Farm in the 2027 breeding season, with a stud fee of $10,000 LFSN. Hit Show is best remembered for his stunning finish from the back of the pack to claim victory in the $12 million Grade 1 Dubai World Cup, where he triumphed over a strong international field featuring nine graded stakes winners, including five Grade 1 champions such as Forever Young, Mixto, Walk of Stars, Ushba Tesoro, and Rattle N Roll. This win marked the twentieth Grade 1 winner for Candy Ride’s progeny, further establishing Candy Ride as a top-tier sire of sires alongside stars like Gun Runner, Vekoma, and Twirling Candy.
Trainer Brad Cox praised Hit Show’s class and consistency throughout his racing career, describing the Dubai World Cup win as a particularly special achievement. Initially bred and raced by Gary and Mary West, Hit Show debuted at two with an impressive maiden special weight victory at Keeneland, winning by more than five lengths. At three, he continued his dominance with a strong win in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes, again by over five lengths, followed by a narrow runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes by just a nose, securing his spot in the Kentucky Derby.
As a four-year-old, Hit Show delivered a string of graded stakes wins across three different racetracks, beginning with a triumph in the Grade 3 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes. After being purchased by Wathnan Racing, he took the Grade 2 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs, earning an impressive 100 Beyer Speed Figure. His third consecutive graded stakes win in 2024 was the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland.
During his five-year-old season, Hit Show successfully defended his title in the Grade 3 Fayette Stakes and also notched wins in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes and Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes. Case Clay, U.S. Racing Manager for Wathnan Racing, highlighted Hit Show’s toughness, durability, and soundness as key attributes that contributed to his outstanding record of 12 wins, eight graded stakes victories, four triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures—104, 100, 100, and 100—and career earnings topping $9.5 million from 29 starts.
Hit Show is out of Actress, a daughter of Tapit who won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and Grade 3 Comely Stakes, and who placed multiple times in graded stakes races. Actress is a daughter of Milwaukee Appeal, the 2009 Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly and Woodbine Oaks winner, who also placed in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes and Spinster Stakes.
Bill Farish, President of Lane’s End, acknowledged Candy Ride’s tremendous influence on the breed, praising how the stallion has shaped the industry through successful sons like Twirling Candy. He expressed excitement about adding another son of Candy Ride to Lane’s End to continue this legacy.
This story was first published by Paulick Report on November 6, 2026.
Fan Take: Hit Show’s transition to stud is significant for racing enthusiasts because it brings a proven, world-class competitor and son of leading sire Candy Ride into the breeding shed, promising to pass on his exceptional speed, stamina, and durability. This move could deepen the quality of future generations in the sport, potentially producing the next wave of champions who can compete at the highest global levels.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
