Draft Pick upsets Solomini in Affirmed Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The second half of the year is looking good for 3-year-olds trained by Peter Eurton.

Draft Pick, a slow-developing Candy Ride colt up in class following a maiden win in the sixth start of his career, upset the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for Eurton and owner Lee Searing on Sunday at Santa Anita, while favorite Solomini struggled home third at 3-10.

Eurton has a bevy of 3-year-olds poised for summer. Dark Vader finished third in the Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont; Peter Pan runner-up Core Beliefs is aiming at the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 23 at Thistledown; highly regarded Cool Bobby had an ankle chip removed and could target the Grade 3, $300,000 Dwyer Stakes on July 7 at Belmont.

They are all playing catch-up behind graded winner Draft Pick ($10.20), whom jockey Joe Talamo guided to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $100,345 Affirmed. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.34 over a track that played slower than normal.

“The track has got to be a little slow, but 49 didn’t hurt,” Eurton said, referring to the 49.13 opening half, in which Draft Pick was three wide in third, just off the leaders. He rallied to the lead into the lane, and opened up late.

Searing, whose horse races under the name CRK Stable, credited Eurton. “He really took his time with him,” Searing said, adding about Draft Pick: “He’s a fighter; he wants to take you on.”

Prior to the Affirmed, Eurton speculated that a good effort would put him in line for the Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby on July 14 at 1 1/8 miles.

Axelrod, the longest shot in the field, pressed the slow pace and finished second. Solomini, heavily favored off graded stakes-placed form this year and 10th in the Kentucky Derby, sputtered.

Solomini trailed the slow pace, uncorked a wide move on the far turn and into the lane, then raced greenly, lugged in and weakened. He finished three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up. Afleet Ascent and King Cause finished fourth and fifth. The sprinter Run Away saved ground in fourth and backed up. He finished last of seven.