Core Beliefs Takes New Orleans Handicap in 2019 Debut
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges Jr.
Florent Geroux and Core Beliefs win the New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course
Gary Broad's Core Beliefs put a disappointing end to 2018 behind him as he opened 2019 on a positive note by registering a three-quarter-length victory March 23 in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
The victory came in Core Beliefs' first start in six months. The son of Quality Road finished his 3-year-old season with a fifth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 22, which came on the heels of a fourth in the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.
Both of those losses were by slightly more than 10 lengths, but the freshening brought Core Beliefs back to the form that carried him to victory in the Ohio Derby (G3) a year ago. Core Beliefs launched a strong three-wide move for the lead midway on the turn Saturday and then outran runner-up Silver Dust while drifting in and out during the stretch run.
Lone Sailor was third.
"I didn't know if I had him tight enough," trainer Peter Eurton said. "We always thought he had the talent. He just got a little tired at the end of the year. There were no issues at all with him. He's been an amazing little horse to work with."
Noble Indy, the winner of last year's Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), and Mr. Buff battled for the early lead, setting fractions of :23.56 and :47.26. Fourth at the half-mile pole after breaking from the outside post in a field of nine, Core Beliefs ($20.20) and jockey Florent Geroux collared them midway on the turn and surged to the front at the top of the stretch. As the California shipper wandered a bit, Mineshaft Handicap (G3) winner Silver Dust cut into the lead but fell short by a little less than a length.
Lone Sailor was three-quarters of a length back in third, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Bandua.
Copper Bullet, the 2-1 favorite, finished fifth.
Final time for the nine furlongs was 1:51.36.
"Today he broke perfectly, and I could get a good stalking position," Geroux said. "It looked like he got to the lead a little soon because he was wandering at the end, but he was just messing around. I thought he ran great. Peter did a great job getting him ready off the layoff, and he ran amazing."
Originally purchased in 2016 for $45,000 by Sam Wright from Patricia Clark's consignment to The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale, he was bought by Broad for $350,000 from Wavertree Stables at the 2017 Barretts Equine Limited March Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
The victory was the third in nine starts for the 4-year-old, who was bred in Kentucky by Thomas J. Young out of the winning Tactical Advantage mare Tejati, He increased his earnings to $872,660.