Competing against Argentinian Grade-1 winners Going Somewhere (BRZ) and Ganesh (BRZ) in the $200,000 Charles Wittingham Stakes on May 24 at Santa Anita, Ashleyluvssugar closed in the stretch to capture his second Grade-2 win by a half length. The 4-year-old Game Plan gelding was once again piloted by Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens and now has $455,504 in earnings from 11 career starts.
Showing his affinity for distance and turf with an upset win over Finnegan’s Wake in the San Luis Rey (Grade-2) a month earlier, Ashleyluvssugar is now a perfect 2-for-2 in graded stakes on grass at 1 1/2 miles. Both of his graded scores came at Santa Anita and with Gary Stevens aboard.
Ashleyluvssugar was bred in California out of the Urgent Request mare Ashley’s Folly. The bay son of Game Plan is campaigned by his breeders Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable, and Ciaglia Racing, and trained by Peter Eurton.
In an interview with bloodhorse.com after the race, Eurton said he plans to run Ashleyluvssugar in the Grade-3 $150,000 San Juan Capistrano. The 1 3/4 miles distance test on the grass is scheduled for Santa Anita’s closing day June 28.
Read the full Bloodhorse.com article and watch the race replay here.