San Luis Rey a great spot for Beach View

ARCADIA, Calif. – At 1 1/2 miles, the distance of Friday’s Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes on turf at Santa Anita is an ideal fit for Beach View.

“I think I can win it,” trainer Leonard Powell said. “The main thing for him is the distance.”

Last summer, Beach View won a stakes for the first time in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on dirt at Del Mar. Beach View has raced at 1 1/2 miles on one occasion since then, encountering trouble and finishing third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar in November.

On Feb. 9, Beach View was a fast-closing third in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf. All of that adds to Powell’s confidence for the $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes.

Beach View is part of a field of six that includes Epical, who was second in the San Marcos, and Ashleyluvssugar, the 8-year-old gelding who won the 2015 San Luis Rey Stakes.

Trainer Bill Spawr has two entrants – Risky Proposition, who won the restricted Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar in November, and Unapologetic, who has yet to win a graded stakes. Marckie’s Water, a stakes winner against California-breds in 2017, recently underwent a breathing operation and will be a longshot.

The San Luis Rey Stakes is the main race on an eight-race program that begins at 1 p.m., Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Beach View, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-94

◗ Beach View, who races for Paul and Mark Levy, was beaten a length by Platinum Warrior in the San Marcos. Platinum Warrior is entered in Saturday’s Dubai Gold Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Powell wondered how Beach View would have performed in the San Marcos had he not rallied six wide on the turn.

“Last time, I got carried really wide, so I think a six-horse field will be better,” he said.

◗ Epical is the expected pacesetter in the San Luis Rey Stakes, which will give jockey Rafael Bejarano aboard Beach View a target.

“Epical will probably be on the lead,” Powell said. “Hopefully, I won’t be too far behind if he goes slow.”

Epical, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 96-96-96

◗ Epical closed from seventh and was beaten three-quarters of a length by Platinum Warrior in the San Marcos.

“He was back a little too far and that was the whole race,” trainer Jim Cassidy said.

◗ Epical has yet to win a stakes and will race at 1 1/2 miles for the first time on Friday. Tyler Baze has the mount.

“Every time Tyler gets on him, he thinks he can run three miles,” Cassidy said.

Ashleyluvssugar, by Game Plan
Last 3 Beyers: 93-93-98

◗ Ashleyluvssugar will face a stamina test in the San Luis Rey.

“A mile and a half is as far as he wants to go,” trainer Peter Eurton said.

◗ An 8-year-old gelding, Ashleyluvssugar is winless in nine starts since taking the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes here in May 2017. In his lone start this year, Ashleyluvssugar was second to Rye in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for statebreds on Jan. 26.

“He got away bad and he made a move five-wide,” Eurton said. “The winner got through on the fence.”