Ashleyluvssugar impresses connections with patience

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ashleyluvssugar won his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s $200,750 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita. The fact that the 4-year-old gelding won a Grade 2 and did so in a turf marathon is a point of amazement for trainer Peter Eurton.

Earlier in his career, Ashleyluvssugar had impatient tendencies, Eurton said. In the San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles, Ashleyluvssugar ($13.20) was third for the first mile under jockey Gary Stevens and fought off a challenge from the 3-5 favorite Finnegans Wake to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Eurton said Ashleyluvssugar’s style of running impressed him “especially the way he relaxed in the first three-quarters of a mile,” he said. “I never figured he’d do that. He can get excited, especially in the paddock.”

In early stretch, Ashleyluvssugar and Finnegans Wake were separated by a head. Finnegans Wake appeared to lead for a few strides before the eighth pole.

“He’s a fighter,” Eurton said of the winner. “When [Finnegans Wake] came to him, he grabbed the bridle.”

Ashleyluvssugar has won three of his last four starts. The gelding has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $335,504 in his career. In his only other stakes appearance, Ashleyluvssugar was third in the I’m Smokin Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old sprinters at Del Mar in September 2013.

For now, Ashleyluvssugar has found a new career in turf marathons. Ashleyluvssugar races for the longtime partnership of Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, and Ciaglia Racing, who bred the 4-year-old by Game Plan.

On Sunday, Eurton, who has four stakes wins at the current meeting, said the goal for early summer for Ashleyluvssugar is the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at about 1 3/4 miles on turf June 28. The $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/2 miles May 24 is a possible next start.

Eurton’s next runner in a graded stakes will be Kobe’s Back in the $300,000 Commonwealth Stakes at seven furlongs April 4 at Keeneland. Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Kobe’s Back was second in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes on March 7 in his first start of 2015.

Eurton said She’s a Big Winner, who won the Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf in February, will skip the $150,000 Providencia Stakes on turf April 4. She was third in the China Doll Stakes on turf March 7 and will be pointed for the $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf May 3.

Finnegans Wake was beaten for the first time since the Breeders’ Cup Turf in the San Luis Rey Stakes.

Trainer Peter Miller later reported that Finnegans Wake “was flat” Saturday. The 6-year-old horse was 10th in the BC Turf last November, then won three consecutive Grade 2 races – the Hollywood Turf Cup in late November, the San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 3 and the San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 7.