Core Beliefs may await Gold Cup at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. – Core Beliefs, who won his 2019 debut in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on Saturday, may not race again until the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27.

Trainer Peter Eurton said on Monday that he would like to give Core Beliefs significant time between starts and would like to try the 4-year-old colt in longer races. The $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita is run at 1 1/4 miles.

“We could wait eight weeks,” Eurton said. “We want to keep him fresh.”

Owned by Gary Broad, Core Beliefs has won 3 of 9 starts and earned $872,660. In the New Orleans Handicap at 1 1/8 miles, he closed from fourth in a field of nine to win by three-quarters of a length over Silver Dust.

Last year, Core Beliefs ran at five tracks in a campaign highlighted by a win in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at ThistleDown in June. Core Beliefs is likely to race primarily in California in his upcoming starts, Eurton said.

“We’d like to keep him at home,” he said.

By Quality Road, Core Beliefs was purchased for $350,000 at the 2017 Barretts select sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Eurton has a leading contender in Friday’s Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita with Ashleyluvssugar, who won the race in 2015. Now 8, Ashleyluvssugar was second in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for California-breds on Jan. 26 in his only start this year.

The field of six in the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes includes Epical and Beach View, who were second and third in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes on Feb. 9. Platinum Warrior, who won the San Marcos Stakes, will start in Saturday’s Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at two miles in the United Arab Emirates.

The San Luis Rey Stakes is the feature race on an eight-race program during the first day of racing at Santa Anita since March 3. Racing was halted earlier this month for an inspection of the main track following a series of equine fatalities since late December.