Grade 2, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita, Feb. 8
(10 Kentucky Derby eligibility points to the winner, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

This was an important mid-winter test for highly regarded, lightly raced prospects for the Santa Anita Derby on April 5 and possibly the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs May 3.

Candy Boy, who had finished second to 2-year-old champion Shared Belief in the 2013 CashCall Futurity Dec. 14, made an impressive 3-year-old debut in this race.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, resumed light exercise over the weekend after missing almost a month of training because of a quarter crack.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Shared Belief jogged at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday. A patch was placed on Shared Belief’s right front foot earlier in the week. Hollendorfer postponed Shared Belief’s return to the racetrack from Friday to Saturday because of wet conditions Friday morning from a rainstorm Thursday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Candy Boy emerged from his victory in the Grade 2, $200,500 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Saturday in good condition and likely will await the Grade 1,  $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 5 for his next start, trainer John Sadler said Sunday.

“I think I’ll wait for the Santa Anita Derby,” Sadler said. “I’m not in a hurry to rush back.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – It took Candy Boy four starts to finally beat maidens, but he has gotten the hang of things rather quickly since. He subsequently finished second in the CashCall Futurity to Eclipse Award winner Shared Belief, and on Saturday at Santa Anita continued his progress as one of the nation’s top 3-year-olds by capturing the Grade 2, $200,500 Robert Lewis Stakes.

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

The mutuel field closed as a big favorite Saturday, the third and final day of wagering into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The field – the 24th or “all others” option – is the 3-2 favorite, followed by Honor Code (12-1), Cairo Prince (13-1), Top Billing (13-1), Shared Belief (14-1), Strong Mandate (17-1), and Midnight Hawk (19-1).

Pool 2 closed at 6 p.m. Eastern, about an hour before Candy Boy (32-1) won the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. The Lewis was the only prep race with Derby points (10 to the winner) this weekend.

ALBANY, Calif. - Undefeated Exit Stage Left, winner of the Golden Nugget, Gold Rush, and California Derby, was injured during training Saturday at Golden Gate Fields and will miss the Feb. 15 El Camino Real Derby trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

The potential favorite for the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby, Exit Stage Left had a six-furlong bullet work of 1:13.60 on Feb. 2. He was galloping on Saturday when injured.

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

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome, who has dominated California-bred stakes in recent months, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Los Alamitos on Saturday, preparing for the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 8.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, California Chrome worked alone on the newly expanded dirt track at Los Alamitos, which began housing Thoroughbreds in late January after the closure of Hollywood Park’s barn area.

The mutuel field was still a big favorite following the second of three days of wagering into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened Thursday.

As of Saturday morning, and with $124,673 in the win pool, the field – the 24th or “all others” option – was the 6-5 favorite, followed by Shared Belief (12-1), Honor Code (15-1), Cairo Prince (15-1), Top Billing (17-1), Strong Mandate (18-1), and Midnight Hawk (22-1).

The mutuel field was an overwhelming favorite after the first of three days of wagering into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened Thursday at noon Eastern. As of Friday morning, and with $62,082 in the win pool, the field – the 24th or “all others” option – was the 3-5 favorite, followed by Shared Belief (15-1), Cairo Prince (18-1), Honor Code (19-1), Top Billing (22-1), Commissioner (24-1), and Strong Mandate (27-1).

The mutuel field opened as a strong favorite in the early hours of Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened Thursday at noon Eastern.

As of 4:45 p.m., and with just more than $30,000 in the win pool, the field – the 24th or “all others” option – was the even-money favorite, followed by Shared Belief (14-1), Strong Mandate (15-1), Honor Code (15-1), Cairo Prince (16-1), and Top Billing (17-1). Another $6,325 was in the exacta pool.