Ashleyluvssugar Kicks Off 2017 in Cal Cup Turf Classic

For Ashleyluvssugar, trainer Peter Eurton was just looking for a starting point to 2017 when he entered the four-time grade 2 winner in the $250,000 California Cup Turf Classic.

For talented California-breds who win graded stakes in open company, state-bred stakes are usually a good, relatively easy spot to return off a layoff. But the 6-year-old Game Plan gelding won't be facing a run-of-the-mill Cal-bred field Jan. 28 at Santa Anita Park.

The 10-horse field features significant class—albeit back class in most instances—with three grade 1 winners to challenge Ashleyluvssugar, the 8-5 favorite on the morning line. In with hopes to upset are Ralis, What a View, and Tamarando, who all have top-level wins on their respective résumés. Only What a View's grade 1 win, however, came in the last year, when the Vronsky gelding took the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) in March.

NOVAK: What a View Upsets Kilroe Mile

 "You'd think it's a fall-back, but the Cal-breds going a mile or mile and an eighth—they're tough," Eurton said.

That may be the most significant hurdle for Ashleyluvssugar, who won the John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) and Del Mar Handicap (G2T) in 2016 and the San Luis Rey (G2T) and Charles Whittingham (G2T) in 2015—the Turf Classic's 1 1/8 miles might not be his ideal distance. All of the gelding's stakes wins have been at 1 1/4 miles or longer and two have been at 1 1/2 miles, but he has run well in shorter races. He came in second behind Midnight Storm in last year's Eddie Read (G2T) at 1 1/8 miles and won an allowance at the same distance in 2015.

BALAN: Ashleyluvssugar Digs in to Win John Henry

Eurton started Ashleyluvssugar out similarly in 2016, but it came later in the year. In the Cal-bred Crystal Water Stakes at a mile, he ran third to fellow Turf Classic entrant Poshsky, who will make his first start off a claim Saturday for trainer Ryan Hanson.

"I'm very happy where he's at," Eurton said. "His weight is great. He's training great. It's a great race to get started with, like last year."

Also on the "Cal Cup Day" Saturday card is featured $250,000 California Cup Derby, which California Chrome   won in 2014 to start his 3-year-old campaign. Another colt with his home state in his name will try to take the Derby against a familiar rival. Rockingham Ranch's California Diamond will look to secure his fifth stakes win and turn the tables on Ann Arbor Eddie, who defeated the Harbor the Gold colt last time out in the King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course. A start prior, California Diamond (second) finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Ann Arbor Eddie (third) in the Bob Hope (G3).

BALAN: Ann Arbor Eddie Prevails in King Glorious

The 3-year-old race for fillies on Cal Cup Day—the California Cup Oaks—is on the turf, unlike the Derby, but the sophomore in that group with the maybe most upside is unfamiliar with the surface.

Joe Turner's Sircat Sally has been a runaway winner in both her starts—a five-length debut win at Del Mar in November and a blowout, 12-length rout in the Soviet Problem Stakes Dec. 17 at Los Alamitos—but has yet to try grass, even in workouts.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said the $200,000 purse for a state-bred stakes was too good to miss, regardless of the surface.

"That's the race that's available," Hollendorfer said. "It's for $200,000, so we can't pass that up for a Cal-bred race. We won't know until we put her out there, but she should be able to handle it OK."

Also on the 10-race card, Enola Gray is the heavy morning-line favorite (6-5) in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint, and last-out Midnight Lute (G3) winner Solid Wager will look to collect his third straight stakes win in the $150,000 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint.