Core Beliefs testing deeper waters in Haskell

Core Beliefs didn’t race at age 2 and has been playing catch-up for much of this season. On Sunday, the California-based son of Quality Road will get to show the progress he has made in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

The Haskell will be the third consecutive road trip for Core Beliefs, who in his last three races has won the $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown, finished second in the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont Park, and been third to Justify in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

A $350,000 purchase by owner Gray Broad at the 2017 Barretts March select 2-year-olds in training sale, Core Beliefs was sent to trainer Peter Eurton following three works at San Luis Rey Downs with Scott Hansen.

After finishing third in a pair of sprint starts in January and February, Core Beliefs stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and he won. He has made his last three starts in the aforementioned stakes.

“The key has been getting him more distance and experience,” Eurton said. “It just took some time for him to get beneath himself. He’s a neat horse with a lot of ability.”

Core Beliefs is due for a little racing luck after having less-than-ideal journeys in the Peter Pan and Ohio Derby.

He didn’t break sharply from the inside post in the Peter Pan, 1 1/8 miles around one turn, and raced along the inside on a four-horse pace. He disposed of the last of his front-running rivals in upper stretch and looked headed to victory under Tyler Baze, but Blended Citizen ran him down and won by 1 1/2 lengths.

“His greenness got the best of him in the Peter Pan,” Eurton said. “He got away bad and Baze had to use him the whole way. He never got a breather. I think he got beat in New York because it was kind of like a long sprint.”

Although he won in Ohio, Core Beliefs was once again hurt by his post position. After breaking from the 10 hole in the 11-horse field, he never got near the rail and gave up considerable ground on both turns.

He and Lone Sailor hooked up in the stretch and fought to the wire, with Core Beliefs prevailing by a nose under Joe Talamo.

“Unlike at Belmont, where he had the one hole and stumbled out of there, Talamo put him in good position even though he was four wide the whole way,” Eurton said.

Core Beliefs had no excuses in the Santa Anita Derby – Justify and Bolt d’Oro were just better than he was.

“It was a good race for him, all and all,” Eurton said. “He got his butt kicked by Justify, but he moved forward off it.”

We’ll find out just how much he has developed on Sunday, when he takes on Blue Grass winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic, Preakness second-place finisher Bravazo, and is rematched against Lone Sailor.

Broad convinced Eurton to test the deeper waters of the $1 million Haskell.

“My owner wants to come; he says it’s the chance of a lifetime,” Eurton said.

Post positions for the Haskell will be drawn Thursday. The race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and the winner will receive a fees-paid berth in the Classic.

The Haskell will be televised from 5-6 p.m. on NBC.