Candy Boy Settling in at Churchill

Candy Boy (Candy Ride {Arg}), a disappointing third in the GI Santa Anita Derby, put in his final drill for the GI Kentucky Derby, covering five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Churchill Saturday. With Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens aboard, the Lee and Susan Searing homebred carved out splits of :12.60, :24.40 and :36.40, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80. “I thought it went nice and smooth,” trainer John Sadler commented. “We wanted to get this one out of the way and allow him a feel for this track. Both got done. This track is probably a bit looser than we’re used to in California so I wanted him to go over it.” Freshened following a smart win in the GII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Feb. 8, he tired to finish 8 3/4 lengths behind the imposing California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) last time. “He might have been a little short last time,” Sadler said. “He’d been off for two months. We’re looking forward to running him that mile and a quarter and you’ll see a different style this time.”