Sadler remains confident Moe Candy fits in graded stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Since reeling off three consecutive wins in overnight races last fall and winter, Moe Candy has been beaten in consecutive graded stakes in sprints, including a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park last month.

The losses do not concern trainer John Sadler as Moe Candy nears his next important race – Saturday’s Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita.

“He’s one of my favorite horses,” Sadler said on Wednesday. “He can really run. He’s a big, beautiful horse. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Moe Candy was second in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Feb. 4 in his stakes debut, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by St. Joe Bay after a slow start.

“He didn’t break,” Sadler said.

In the Count Feet at six furlongs, Moe Candy was seventh early and finished sixth, 4 3/4 lengths behind Whitmore.

“He didn’t handle the track,” Sadler said. “He didn’t show any speed. He didn’t run his race.

“He had a couple of cuts on his hind legs, which indicated it was slipping away from him.”

Moe Candy has won 3 of 8 starts. A 5-year-old, Moe Candy ran twice at 3 in 2015 and was rested for 17 months, returning to finish a game third in a maiden race at Del Mar last August. Moe Candy won his fourth start last October and won consecutive optional claimers at Del Mar in November and here in January.

Victor Espinoza has ridden Moe Candy since the maiden-race win but will be replaced by Santiago Gonzalez on Saturday.

Espinoza will be in North Carolina on Saturday for a promotion with an energy drink sponsor, according to his agent, Brian Beach.

The $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes is led by Lord Simba, the winner of the Grade 3 Los Angeles Stakes at six furlongs in his stakes debut on April 14. Other projected runners are Calculator, Dr. Dorr, Eastwood, Kentuckian, Kobe’s Back, and Ransom the Moon.

Eastwood was second to Lord Simba in the Los Angeles Stakes, his first start in 22 months and his first start for trainer Richard Mandella.