Fashion Business can validate BC Turf worthiness in John Henry Turf Championship

ARCADIA, Calif. – Fashion Business secured a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs with a five-length win in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 18.

The question of where he fits on the list of contenders for the BC Turf on Nov. 3 may be better known after Sunday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. The BC Turf will draw several top horses from Europe and formidable runners from the United States.

Fashion Business will be a longshot in the BC Turf even if he wins the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles.

He closed from 10th in a field of 11 to take a commanding lead on the turn of the Del Mar Handicap, his first stakes win.

“I didn’t expect that when he made that move,” said trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Fashion Business will be the favorite in a field of seven in the John Henry Turf Championship. The only other graded stakes winner in the field is Ashleyluvssugar, who won the 2016 John Henry and was fifth in the BC Turf that year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Fashion Business, by Frankel
Last 3 Beyers: 105-92-101

◗ Owned by Little Red Feather Racing and Marsha Naify, Fashion Business was fifth in his first Grade 1, the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9, finishing a length behind winner Spring Quality. That race leaves D’Amato hopeful that Fashion Business can be effective in the BC Turf.

“I think he proved he was competitive at Belmont Park,” D’Amato said. “I think he can be competitive on any kind of turf course.”

◗ D’Amato said Fashion Business has worked well since the Del Mar Handicap on the Del Mar turf course and Santa Anita’s infield training track.

“He’s not really a good work horse on dirt,” D’Amato said. “He’s shown more in his dirt breezes than he had.”

Ashleyluvssugar, by Game Plan
Last 3 Beyers: 94-93-91

◗ Ashleyluvssugar is winless in six starts since taking the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes here in May 2017, his sixth stakes win. In the Del Mar Handicap, Ashleyluvssugar raced in traffic and finished sixth, 2 1/4 lengths behind runner-up Ya Gotta Wanna, who is part of the John Henry field.

“I think his race at Del Mar wasn’t as bad as it looked,” trainer Peter Eurton said. “He was covered up the whole way, and he was pulling the whole way and almost got second.

“He’s trained well, and it seems his energy is good. We’ll see if he can reach back in time and pull something out of it. We’re looking for a lot better here.”

Liam the Charmer, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 97-93-96

◗ Liam the Charmer won his first start of 2018 in an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 16, closing from sixth to edge Ann Arbor Eddie by a nose. Ann Arbor Eddie is part of the John Henry field.