Ashleyluvssugar Plays Spoiler in San Luis Rey
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A year and a half after his last stakes start, Ashleyluvssugar broke through for his first graded stakes win in the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) March 21 at Santa Anita Park .
In the process, the 4-year-old gelding by Game Plan outkicked one of the hottest horses on the West Coast, besting four-time graded stakes winner and heavy favorite Finnegans Wake by 2 1/4 lengths.
Ashleyluvssugar sat well behind in fifth place, with Finnegans Wake in sixth—nine and 11 lengths back, respectively—as Joes Blazing Aaron and jockey Joe Talamo opened up blistering fractions for a the 1 1/2-mile turf race. Joes Blazing Aaron, with Diamond Bachelor just behind, ran the opening quarter-mile in :23.43, half in :45.66 and six furlongs in 1:10.29.
Second-choice Power Foot got first run at the leaders and took a head lead at the quarter pole before fading to the two closers. He stayed to finish third, 5 1/2 lengths behind Finnegans Wake. Ashleyluvssugar—a California-bred owned by breeders Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, and Ciaglia—was between the two rivals in the stretch, but pulled away under the urging of first-time jockey Gary Stevens.
Stevens said he knew he had a chance when the gelding out of Urgent Request mare Ashley's Folly didn't rush up to chase the sizzling early pace.
"He relaxed like a dream for me," Stevens said. "I knew if he would relax, we'd have a good chance. I was loaded going into the turn, a horse came to our outside (and) he got headed, but he's tough. He likes a fight."
Off at 3-5 odds, Finnegans Wake put a head in front of the eventual winner in the stretch, but Ashleyluvssugar fought back and completed the distance in 2:25.78 on a turf course rated firm.
"The question was just whether he'd just be too keen early," Ashleyluvssugar's trainer, Peter Eurton said. "(Previous jockey) Mike (Smith) said, 'Put them to sleep.' It was just an amazing ride."
By Powerscourt, Finnegans Wake entered the race coming off three straight Southern California grade II grass victories in the Hollywood Turf Club Stakes, San Gabriel Stakes, and San Marcos Stakes.
"I didn't really think we had it--not today," Finnegans Wake's jockey, Victor Espinoza, said. "He was a little bit flat today—all the way—as soon as he came out of the gate. He was a little lazy, not really running. He was empty all the way. I was surprised he ran a good race still."
Ashleyluvssugar paid $13.20, $4.80, and $3 across the board. Finnegans Wake returned $2.40 and $2.10. Power Foot delivered $2.80 to show.
The gelding, who had three allowance/optional claiming victories and a maiden score entering the San Luis Rey, improved his lifetime record to 5-0-2 from 10 starts and pushed his earnings to $335,504 with his first stakes win.
Play Hard to Get was 5 1/2 lengths behind Power Foot in fourth place, followed by Buymeabond, Raise Your Gaze, Diamond Bachelor, and Joes Blazing Aaron to complete the order of finish.