Baffert pair top Lewis Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will go for a fifth victory in Saturday's $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park with a pair of 3-year-olds leading the seven-horse field.

Baffert, who won the Lewis last year with Flashback, will saddle Midnight Hawk and Chitu for the 1 1/16-mile race. Midnight Hawk will be ridden by Mike Smith from post 3 and Chitu will break from the outside post with Martin Garcia riding.

Co-owned by Mike Pegram, Midnight Hawk is undefeated in two career starts, including the Sham Stakes last month at Santa Anita. The colt broke his maiden at Hollywood Park on Dec. 13 and has banked $87,000.

"He's a big, heavy horse, and he can handle a lot. He's so heavy, I'd rather run him than work him," noted Baffert after winning the Sham Stakes. "So far, so good, but we'll just take baby steps as we go and just have fun with him."

Chitu, owned by Tanma Corp., is also perfect in two lifetime races and will be making his first start in a stakes on Saturday. The chestnut colt has earned $61,800.

CashCall Futurity runner-up Candy Boy has drawn the inside post with Gary Stevens in the saddle. The colt is owned by C R K Stable and trained by John Sadler.

Candy Boy makes his first start of the year in the Lewis and his second at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old was second in a maiden race at the track in October and found the winner's circle the following month at Hollywood Park. The colt has earned $185,600.

Here is the field for the Lewis in post position order: Candy Boy, Gary Stevens; Diamond Bachelor, Julien Leparoux; Midnight Hawk, Mike Smith; Home Run Kitten, Joe Talamo; Cool Samurai, Corey Nakatani; El Nino Terrible, Edwin Maldonado and Chitu, Martin Garcia.

The Robert B. Lewis Stakes has an approximate post-time of 7 p.m. (ET).