Ashleyluvssugar Takes Aim at Whittingham

After springing an upset in his graded stakes debut, Ashleyluvssugar will seek a second straight graded score in the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (gr. IIT) May 24 at Santa Anita Park.



In March, the 4-year-old son of Game Plan upset odds-on favorite Finnegans Wake in the San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) and will return to the Santa Anita grass for the 1 1/2-mile Whittingham, which begins midway up the track's downhill turf course.

BALAN: Ashleyluvssugar Plays Spoiler in San Luis Rey

The 2 1/4-length victory looked even better when Finnegans Wake won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (gr. IT) in his next start on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) undercard.

"Everybody's looking at me thinking, 'Why didn't you go there and go against him?'" trainer Peter Eurton said. "We wanted to give him a break and it's a different kind of turf here, and he likes to run on a tight surface. He doesn't really like to dig in—he kind of runs like a deer."



Ashleyluvssugar was a four-time winner at allowance/optional claiming and maiden special weight levels before the San Luis Rey. The gelding owned by breeders Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, and Ciaglia Racing has $335,504 in earnings, with a 5-0-2 record from 10 career starts. He'll break from the outside in the five-horse field with jockey Gary Stevens, carrying high weight of 124 pounds.



In to challenge is Todd Pletcher-trained shipper Divine Oath, who last raced in the Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. IIIT)—finishing fourth—at Belmont Park May 2. The 4-year-old Broken Vow   colt has three grade III turf victories on his résumé, but hasn't hit the board in his past three graded tries back East. Divine Oath's last appearance at Santa Anita was a third-place finish in the Twilight Derby (gr. IIT) Oct. 31.



Red Rafa Stud's homebred Ganesh could also factor into the result, coming off a second-place finish in the Last Tycoon Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita, in only his second U.S. start. The Brazilian-bred 6-year-old was on a four-race winning streak in Argentina before moving to Richard Mandella's barn in Southern California.



Going Somewhere, a three-time winner in South America before going winless in 11 starts in France, and maiden winner Crucero complete the field.