Elders Ohio, Ashleyluvssugar Take on Berkeley Crowd

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bruce Treitman's 8-year-old, Brazilian-bred Ohio is slated to carry top weight in the Nov. 30 Berkeley Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields.

Among the field of 11 older horses in the 1 1/16-mile test over the all-weather track, Ohio, Ashleyluvssugar, and What a View are the oldest. A grade 1 winner, Ohio is set to carry 124 pounds. Ashleyluvssugar will carry two pounds less and What a View four fewer than the highweight.

Of his eight starts this year, Ohio has won only two but one of those was a game nose score in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. Since then the Elusive Quality gelding has failed to come through in four graded starts. He finished third in the Presque Isle Mile one start before finishing ninth in the Oct. 5 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita in his most recent effort.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ohio posted a five-furlong breeze at Santa Anita Park Nov. 23, completing the distance in 1:00 1/5, the second fastest at the distance that morning.

Ohio will be ridden by Julien Couton from post 9.

Winless in five starts this year, Ashleyluvssugar has not raced since  sixth in the July 26 California Dreamin Stakes at Del Mar. The Peter Eurton-trained gelding is also 8 and looks to improve after a freshening.

Ashleyluvssugar had good efforts in three stakes this year including a third in the May 25 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita.

Brice Blanc is scheduled to ride the son of Game Plan from post 5.

KMN Racing's Grecian Fire may challenge for trainer Keith Desormeaux. The 5-year-old Unusual Heat gelding has three wins this year, including the All American Stakes (G3T) in May at Golden Gate. Grecian Fire later won the California Dreamin Stakes over fellow Berkeley entrants What a View, who was third, and Ashleyluvssugar.

He comes into Saturday's race after a fourth in the Nov. 2 Joseph T. Grace Stakes at Golden Gate. William Antongeorgi will ride from post 2.

Entries: Berkeley H. (G3)

Golden Gate Fields, Saturday, November 30, 2019, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• All Weather Track
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1My Friend Emma (CA)	Silvio Ruiz Amador	117	Jesus Ramos	15/1
2	2Grecian Fire (CA)	William Antongeorgi III	122	J. Keith Desormeaux	9/2
3	3Mugaritz (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	121	Jonathan Wong	4/1
4	4Souter (GB)	Frank T. Alvarado	117	Mark Glatt	10/1
5	5Ashleyluvssugar (CA)	Brice Blanc	122	Peter Eurton	6/1
6	6Lymebyrd (CA)	Francisco Monroy	117	Angelo Tekos, Jr.	20/1
7	7Majestic Eagle (KY)	Alejandro Gomez	121	Neil D. Drysdale	10/1
8	8Camino Del Paraiso (CA)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	O. J. Jauregui	8/1
9	9Ohio (BRZ)	Julien Couton	124	Michael W. McCarthy	3/1
10	10Brave Nation (KY)	Catalino Martinez	121	Blaine D. Wright	20/1
11	11What a View (CA)	Brayan Pena	120	Sherrie Monroe	8/1