Breeders' Cup Turf: Found having another busy fall
On Wednesday at Santa Anita, California trainer Peter Eurton glanced through the race record of the Irish filly Found and shook his head in amazement.
Eurton focused on Found’s campaign last October, when she made three starts, finishing ninth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris and second in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in England before winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on the final day of the month.
A similar campaign is possible after Found won the Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly Racecourse north of Paris last Sunday.
“That’s crazy,” Eurton said. “Do you think they’ll run in all three?”
Earlier this week, trainer Aidan O’Brien mentioned the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Oct. 15 and the BC Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5 as goals for Found, depending on how she recovers from the Arc.
If Found starts in the BC Turf, the 4-year-old filly likely would be the second choice behind the New York-based star Flintshire, who finished second in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park last Saturday. Flintshire has won three Grade 1 or Grade 2 races this year in New York.
In the BC Turf, Eurton plans to start Ashleyluvssugar, the winner of the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita last Sunday. Ashleyluvssugar earned a fees-paid berth in the BC Turf with a win in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 20. Without that provision, Ashleyluvssugar may not be in the field.
“The economics make it easier to take a chance,” Eurton said. “What a thrill it would be to place in the race.”
Eurton is taking a realistic approach to the BC Turf. Ashleyluvssugar has never won a Grade 1 race. The 5-year-old’s greatest asset may be his ability to run on or near the lead on a Santa Anita course that tends to favor such runners.
“It’s biased for speed,” Eurton said. “Maybe we can shake loose and pick up a piece.”
The BC Turf lost a leading candidate this week when English trainer Roger Varian said Postponed was “unlikely” to start. Postponed won three Group 1 races in England and Dubai this year before finishing fifth in the Arc.
In the John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles, Ashleyluvssugar finished a half-length in front of Texas Ryano, who edged Twentytwentyvision by a nose. Metaboss was a fast-closing fourth, beaten a length.
Texas Ryano and Metaboss are likely for the BC Turf, according to trainers Carla Gaines and Phil D’Amato. The status of Twentytwentyvision is unclear, although the BC Turf is a possibility, trainer Richard Mandella said.
Mandella said the $100,000 pre-entry and entry fees are factors in the decision.
“It’s expensive to take a shot,” Mandella said.