SANTA ANITA STAKES RECAPS

By Mike Willman —-

Ashleyluvssugar; Benoit

HEAVILY FAVORED ASHLEYLUVSSUGAR EARNS WELL-TIMED HALF LENGTH WIN IN $250,000 CALIFORNIA CUP TURF CLASSIC UNDER PRAT; EURTON TRAINEE GETS 1 1/8 MILES IN 1:46.43
PRESENTED BY CITY NATIONAL BANK, TURF CLASSIC IS ONE OF FIVE RACES FOR GOLDEN STATE SERIES HORSES

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2017)– In a thrilling stretch drive, favored Ashleyluvssugar overhauled What a View to prevail by a half length in Saturday’s $250,000 California Cup Turf Classic at Santa Anita. Ridden to perfection by Flavien Prat and conditioned by Peter Eurton, the 6-year-old California-bred gelding by Game Plan got a mile and one eighth in 1:46.43.

As expected, What a View went to the lead under Tyler Baze and held a two length advantage mid-way around the far turn, but Prat stepped on the gas approaching the quarter pole, and it was “game-on” from there to the wire, with Ashleyluvssugar gaining the advantage in the final fifty yards.

“He got a perfect ride,” said Eurton. “I think they (Prat and the horse) are just getting to know each other. I think ‘Flavvy’ was just a little bit nervous in the paddock, but the kid is so good, so good. Other than telling him the horse likes to be outside, I didn’t say anything. That was a nice, easy lead that What a View got. I didn’t think we’d get by him for a minute there, but ‘Ashley’s’ got a lot of class.”

Owned by his breeders, Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Joe Ciaglia, multiple graded stakes winning Ashleyluvssugar, who had been idle since finishing second in the Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 25, was off at even money in a field of nine older horses bred or sired in California and paid $4.00, $2.60 and $2.20.

In securing his ninth win from 20 starts, “Ashley,” who is out of the Urgent Request mare, Ashely’s Folley, picked up $150,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $1,157,504.

“I had a good trip,” said Prat. “It came really easy. Once he gets the lead he doesn’t want to open up, but he knows he has to keep at least a head in front.”

Tenacious in defeat, What a View set fractions on the “firm” turf of 23.77, 47.58, 1:11.56 and 1:34.74. Off at 3-1, he finished second by a length and a half and paid $3.80 and $3.40.

Third turning for home, longshot Ward ’n Jerry ran gamely for third, holding sway by a half length over He Will. Ridden by Stewart Elliott, Ward ’n Jerry was off at 60-1 and paid $11.40 to show.

SIRCAT SALLY REMAINS PERFECT IN DAZZLING 2 ¼ LENGTH WIN AS SHE TRIES TURF FOR THE FIRST TIME IN $200,000 CALIFORNIA CUP OAKS; TURNER HOMEBRED, RIDDEN BY BAZE & TRAINED BY HOLLENDORFER, GETS MILE IN 1:35.08
OAKS IS ONE OF FIVE STAKES FOR GOLDEN STATE SERIES-ELIGIBLE RUNNERS

—A winner of her first two main track starts by a combined 17 lengths, Joe Turner’s homebred Sircat Sally tried turf for the first time on Saturday at Santa Anita and she waltzed to a facile 2 ¼ length win in the $200,000 California Cup Oaks under Tyler Baze. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, she negotiated a flat mile in 1:35.08.

Off as the heavy 4-5 favorite in a field of eight California-bred or sired 3-year-old fillies, she paid $3.80, $3.40 and $2.10.

Out of the In Excess mare, Sister Sally, she picked up $110,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $198,200.

A comfortable second, just a neck off pacesetter Adios Cali with three furlongs to run, Sircat Sally took charge a quarter mile from home and was never threatened.

Longshot How About Zero, who removed blinkers today, ran well from off the pace to be second, 1 ¾ lengths in front of Princess Roi. Off at 27-1 with Mario Gutierrez up, How About Zero paid $16.60 and $8.40.

Attentive to the pace under Corey Nakatani, Princess Roi proved third best, finishing one length in front of Ms Wakaya. Off at 5-1, Princess Roi paid $3.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.37, 46.52, 1:11.22 and 1:23.16.

CLASSY ENOLA GRAY SPEEDS TO 3 ¼ LENGTH WIN IN $150,000 SUNSHINE MILLIONS FILLY & MARE TURF; BAZE & D’AMATO TEAM FOR 6 ½ FURLONG HILLSIDE TURF WIN IN 1:12.10
HEAVILY FAVORED, ALEXANDER HOMEBRED PERFECT IN TWO STARTS DOWN HILLSIDE

—Nick Alexander’s classy homebred Enola Gray showed her customary early zip and went on to an authoritative 3 ¼ length win under Tyler Baze in Saturday’s $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, the first of five stakes restricted to horses bred or sired in California that are Golden State Series eligible. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the 4-year-old Grazen filly got 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:12.10.

Breaking from post position two in a field of eight older fillies and mares, Enola Gray sat just outside of eventual third place finisher Desert Steel down the hill through splits of 21.55, 43.04 and 1:05.86. Head and head at the dirt crossing three sixteenths of a mile from home, Enola Gray asserted her superiority leaving the sixteenth pole and won in-hand.

“I had a beautiful trip,” said Baze. “She’s an unbelievable filly. Once I put Bejarano away (aboard Desert Steel) it was pretty much over from there and I just kept her attention.”

Off at 3-5, Enola Gray paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10. A winner of the California Distaff Handicap down the hill three starts back, she is now unbeaten in two starts over the unique hillside layout. Enola Gray, who was most recently third in the Grade I, seven furlong La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, now has five wins (four of them stakes) from eight starts. With the winner’s share of $90,000, she now has earnings of $449,100.

“I really, truly believe the sky’s the limit with this filly,” said D’Amato. “We’re going to plan to stretch her out later on in the year, and then I think she’ll be even more effective.”

Alexander, a longtime owner/breeder in California who is well known to millions of Southlanders through his Nick Alexander Imports radio commercials (“Nick Can’t Say No”) is now chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) as well.

“She’s a neat horse, she really is,” said Alexander. “Her dam (Unsung Heroine, by More Than Ready) had not had anything worth a darn before that. Everyone that gets on her says that you can’t even feel her hit the ground. She just has one of those big, long strides. She’s a sweetheart.”

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Smoove It flew from off the pace to nip Desert Steel by a head for the place. Off at 5-1, she paid $4.20 and $3.00.

Desert Steel finished a nose in front of Cuddle Alert and paid $2.60 to show.

About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.