Santa Anita: Candy Boy avoids collision while prepping for Robert Lewis

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ever since his runner-up effort in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on Dec. 14, everything had gone right for Candy Boy. In fact, his trainer, John Sadler, felt he was ahead of the game in preparation for his next start, the Grade 2, $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes next Saturday at Santa Anita.

After Candy Boy’s workout here Saturday morning, Sadler still likes where he is with the 3-year-old, but all that preparation almost went wrong in an instant. Candy Boy just did avoid catastrophe on Saturday morning, dodging a horse who had broken down in front of him just as he was completing his final work for the Lewis.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

“I got lucky, buddy,” said jockey Gary Stevens, who was aboard Candy Boy for his work, officially six furlongs in 1:13.

Candy Boy worked in company with Sadler-trained Kozani. Candy Boy pulled away late, but just after he passed the wire, Dirty Deeds Done, trained by Mike Machowsky, suffered a catastrophic injury to his left front leg at the end of a workout only yards in front of Candy Boy. Candy Boy just missed him.

“His feet clipped my hind feet,” Stevens said, but Kozani ran into Dirty Deeds Done, dislodging the riders of those two horses.

Both the rider on Kozani and the rider on Dirty Deeds Done did not appear to sustain any serious injuries. Kozani got up and jogged up the stretch, riderless, until being corralled. He, too, did not appear to sustain any serious injuries. Dirty Deeds Done was taken away in an ambulance.

Candy Boy looked good in the workout. He went off easily and comfortably disposed of his workmate in his fourth drill since the CashCall Futurity.

“I felt he was ahead of the calendar. He’s had nice spacing coming into the February race,” Sadler said, referring to the Lewis. “He’s ready to go. I built in a little time to his work schedule in case there was rain, but we haven’t had any. He’s been able to train steadily right along.”

The Lewis, at 1 1/16 miles, is also expected to attract the unbeaten Midnight Hawk.

Sadler planned on working another 3-year-old, Kobe’s Back, right after Candy Boy completed his drill, but there was a delay on the track owing to the accident, so he had Kobe’s Back return to his barn and come back after the next renovation break, at 9 a.m. The delay didn’t bother the colt. Kobe’s Back worked six furlongs in 1:11.60, the fastest time of 18 at the distance. His next scheduled start is the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 16.