Ashleyluvssugar in top form for Hollywood Turf Cup

DEL MAR, Calif. – After stuffing himself with turkey and pumpkin pie on Thursday, trainer Peter Eurton is hoping that peanut butter and jelly is on the menu Friday at Del Mar in the Grade 2, $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup.

Eurton will send out Ashleyluvssugar, who figures to be the favorite against six rivals in the 1 1/2-mile grass race. In Ashleyluvssugar’s last nine starts, Gary Stevens has been aboard for eight of them. They’ve won four stakes, including the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap during the summer meeting here. Eurton said Ashleyluvssugar is a difficult horse to ride, and that Stevens has been instrumental in his success.

“Gary and him are like peanut butter and jelly,” Eurton said. “He’s not the easiest horse to ride. Ever since Gary took over, it’s made a difference.”

Ashleyluvssugar was fifth most recently in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, which followed victories in the Del Mar Handicap and then the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Classic at Santa Anita. He is coming back in just 20 days because Eurton said he “seems like he came out of the race really well.”

“I just gave him one easy breeze,” Eurton said. “He’s holding great weight.”

Ashleyluvssugar landed the outside post, but with such a small field and the turf rails set at their innermost setting, that should not matter. In fact, there’s so little pace in the race that Ashleyluvssugar might end up taking up the running.

Two other horses – Ralis and Texas Ryano – are exiting the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The others in the race are Flamboyant, Power Foot, Quick Casablanca, and Royal Albert Hall.

The Turf Cup is race 6 on an eight-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Ashleyluvssugar, by Game Plan
Last 3 Beyers: 102-102-102

◗ He has been remarkably consistent, earning the same Beyer Speed Figure in his last three starts, which shows he ran his race in the Breeders’ Cup Turf but just ran into world-class rivals like Highland Reel, Flintshire, and Found. This is a significantly easier assignment.

Texas Ryano, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 101-101-100

◗ He was just a half-length behind Ashleyluvssugar in the Breeders’ Cup Turf when finishing in a dead heat for sixth, and he was a half-length behind Ashleyluvssugar when finishing second in the John Henry Turf Classic.

◗ Although he is winless in six starts this year, he actually is in the best form of his career, with Beyer figures of 100 or better in his last three starts.

Ralis, by Square Eddie
Last 3 Beyers: 101-97-97

◗ He finished ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf but only three-quarters of a length behind Ashleyluvssugar.

◗ He is the lone 3-year-old in the field and gets in with 116 pounds, eight pounds fewer than highweights Ashleyluvssugar and Flamboyant.