With BC Mile berth secured, Exaulted will have light summer campaign
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Exaulted earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November with a half-length win in his Grade 1 debut in Monday’s $503,000 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita.
A home turf course advantage will be a much needed benefit for the 6-year-old Exaulted.
“You’ve got the Europeans and horses from the rest of the United States,” trainer Peter Eurton said on Wednesday. “It’s a few more levels up.
“Hopefully, he’ll be ready for it.”
Exaulted is thriving in one-mile turf races this year, going unbeaten in four starts in such races. The Shoemaker Mile was Exaulted’s second consecutive stakes win, preceded by the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf on April 2.
In those stakes wins, and two wins in allowance races at the distance in January and February, Exaulted stalked the pace and took the lead in early stretch. In the Shoemaker Mile, Exaulted ($8.20) was third early, led by a length with a furlong remaining and won by a half-length over 41-1 Irideo.
“It was the toughest field he’s ever been,” Eurton said. “He’s had the same style of race each time. He makes his run. It’s like a carbon copy, which I love.
“It’s a nice style. He can use speed to his advantage and not go wide like a runner with a big turn of foot.”
Exaulted, owned by Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable, will be raced sparingly in coming months. Eurton said the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Sept. 2 is a likely late summer goal. The Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on July 30 is not under consideration, he said.
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