Core Beliefs ($20.20) ends layoff with New Orleans Handicap win

NEW ORLEANS – Trainer Pete Eurton had never been to this city until this week. Safe to say he’ll be back.

His first starter at Fair Grounds was Core Beliefs, who on Saturday returned from a six-month layoff to post a 9-1 upset over eight other older runners in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap, the first of four straight Grade 2 stakes to close out the Louisiana Derby day card.

Core Beliefs ($20.20) got an ideal trip under Florent Geroux, who was riding him for the first time. Although Core Beliefs broke from the outside stall, he got a first-over trip. He stalked the dueling leaders, Noble Indy and Mr. Buff, who tore through the opening quarter in 23.56 seconds and the half in 47.26 seconds. He ranged up outside those two on the far turn, took the lead entering the stretch, and turned back repeated bids from Silver Dust through the final furlong to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Silver Dust – farther back than expected early and wide throughout - finished three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Lone Sailor, with Bandua fourth. Copper Bullet was fifth and was followed, in order, by Noble Indy – who broke through the gate before the start and had to be re-loaded - Souper Tapit, Krewe Chief, and Mr. Buff.

Mo Don’t No and Noble Commander were scratched.

Core Beliefs completed 1 1/8 miles on the fast main track in 1:51.36.

Core Beliefs was a late-developing 3-year-old last year. He didn’t debut until January 2018, and got his first win in March. He was fed a steady diet of stakes the rest of the year and acquitted himself well. He was third in the Santa Anita Derby behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify, was second in the Peter Pan, won the Ohio Derby, then was fourth in the Haskell and fifth in the Pennsylvania Derby, racing inside on days when that was not optimum in those last two starts

After four straight starts in the Eastern time zone, he got a vacation.

“He didn’t have any issues. We wanted to give him an opportunity against older horses,” Eurton said. “We thought he had talent.”

Core Beliefs was training at Santa Anita this winter, but was part of a group of horses who had to relocate to Los Alamitos recently to get in key works for upcoming races after Santa Anita was closed temporarily for training. Eurton said he looked at races at Oaklawn, here, and Santa Anita, but decided the 1 1/8 miles of the New Orleans Handicap was the ideal distance. He said the unsettled situation at Santa Anita was not a factor in traveling for his 2019 debut. Perhaps it was the gumbo.

“A mile and an eighth gives him more time to the first turn than a mile a sixteenth,” Eurton said. “Drawing the outside wasn’t ideal, but he does like being outside. He broke well and was able to drop in. Couldn’t have asked for a better trip.”

The long stretch here, though, gave him anxious moments.

“I know how long the stretch is that I didn’t take anything for granted,” Eurton said.

Core Beliefs, 4, is a colt by Quality Road whom Eurton trains for Gary Broad. The win was his third in nine starts, and came with a first-place check of $240,000.

That’ll buy a few drinks on Bourbon Street.