Ollie's Candy, now with Sadler, has local stakes options

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ollie’s Candy, the winner of the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks last June, recently joined trainer John Sadler’s stable at Santa Anita and is nearing her 2019 debut.

Ollie’s Candy, who races for owners and breeders Paul and Karen Eggert, was second in two graded stakes on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar last summer – the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile and the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles.

By Candy Ride, Ollie’s Candy has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $251,800. Ollie’s Candy has had two workouts at Santa Anita in recent weeks, including six furlongs in 1:14.40 on Monday.

“She has a very good record,” Sadler said.

Ollie’s Candy was in training at Golden Gate Fields briefly last month, and was nominated for a stakes at that track before joining Sadler’s stable in late April.

Sadler said on Thursday that Ollie’s Candy will be pointed for one of two leading stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita in the next month – the Grade 1 Gamely, a $500,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on turf on May 27, or the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt on June 1.

Ollie’s Candy was previously trained by William Morey, who disbanded his stable in late March and early April after a member of his staff allegedly committed a medication violation on March 29 that led to an investigation and a complaint filed by the California Horse Racing Board.

A hearing involving the case has been continued until June 3 after a first day of hearings was conducted on May 2 before Santa Anita stewards.

The racing board’s complaint against Morey alleges that a substance containing an alkalizing agent was administered to horses entered to race at Santa Anita. The runners were withdrawn less than an hour before post time for that day’s first race.

The hearings could lead to a fine and/or suspension against Morey, who won 10 races with 56 starters at Santa Anita from Dec. 26 to March 3.