Liam the Charmer Makes the Grade in John Henry Turf

Madaket Stables' Liam the Charmer returned to his favorite track and best distance to earn his first graded stakes win Sept. 30 in the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship (G2T).

With his standard closing style, the 5-year-old Smart Strike gelding rallied in the stretch and just got by pacesetter Ashleyluvssugar late to win by a half-length in the 1 1/4-mile grass test at Santa Anita Park.

The Michael McCarthy-trained runner now has four wins from eight starts on the Santa Anita grass and three wins from four starts at the 10-furlong distance, but none of those previously came in stakes. He was, however, in good form off nose allowance victory Aug. 16 at Del Mar, his first start in just less than a year.

"He's pretty easy to fall in love with. He's always been a nice horse," McCarthy said. "The graded stakes is probably a year and a half overdue.

"He's just hitting his best stride now that he's 5. He's like molasses. He just goes through the motions every day."

With jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard for the first time, Liam the Charmer settled at the back of the six-horse field, as Ashleyluvssugar traveled awkwardly on the front, with his head cocked sideways the first time through the stretch. The fractions went in :23.43, :47.61, and 1:11.42 through six furlongs, and at the quarter pole Ashleyluvssugar opened up a 1 1/2-length lead, but Liam the Charmer was beginning his run.

"(McCarthy) said not to rush him out of there and let him find his footing," Gaffalione said. "He put himself in the spot he needed to be and we saved all the ground. Going into the far turn, I let him go in between horses and then kicked him out coming into the stretch, and he really finished up nicely."

Ashleyluvssugar maintained his 1 1/2-length advantage with a furlong to run, but could not hold off the closer, who finished off the distance in 1:58.01. Ya Gotta Wanna completed the trifecta, and was followed by Ann Arbor Eddie, Secretary At War, and Ritzy A. P., to complete the order of finish.

"He ran a winning race," said Ashleyluvssugar's jockey, Gary Stevens. "I couldn't believe we were getting passed, because my horse was running."

The runner-up finish was a positive sign for the 7-year-old Game Plan gelding, who hadn't placed in his last five races, but has five grade 2 wins on his record, including the John Henry in 2016.

"With him we take it race to race at this stage," said Ashleyluvssugar's trainer, Peter Eurton. "He's a trooper when he gets his trip, as you saw today."

Bred in Kentucky by Ron and Deborah McAnally, out of the Giant's Causeway  mare Charm the Giant, Liam the Charmer now has a 5-1-1 record from 14 starts and $319,571 in earnings.

Video: John Henry Turf Championship S. (G2T)