Ashleyluvssugar repels Brazilian imports in Whittingham

Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Ciaglia Racing's homebred Ashleyluvssugar

(Game Plan) overpowered a pair of Brazilian imports by Sulamani -- Ganesh and

Going Somewhere -- to score his second straight graded victory in Sunday's

$200,000

Charles Whittingham (G2) at Santa Anita. Freshened since his revelation when

stepped up to this 1 1/2-mile trip in the March 21 San Luis Rey (G2), the 1-2

favorite had to overcome a much pokier pace this time to prevail.

Going Somewhere hustled to the front through an opening quarter in :24,

reached the half in :48, but then slowed the tempo down substantially in his

U.S. debut. After clocking leisurely splits of 1:14 1/5 and 1:40 3/5 on the firm

turf, Going Somewhere began to pick up again at the 1 1/4-mile mark in 2:05 2/5,

and tried to kick away in the stretch.

Meanwhile, his compatriot Ganesh had engineered a smart move from last

rounding the far turn. As Ganesh zipped through to his inside, Ashleyluvssugar

had to tap on the brakes briefly, and thereby found himself relegated to last

turning for home. But the Peter Eurton charge soon regrouped and hit his best

stride inside the final furlong. Under Hall of Famer Gary Stevens,

Ashleyluvssugar got up by a half-length and completed 1 1/2 miles in 2:30.

Ashleyluvssugar furnished $3 to his backers and now sports a mark of

11-6-0-2, $455,504. The California-bred broke his maiden via disqualification in

his unveiling as a juvenile. Third next time out over Del Mar's Polytrack in the

2013 I'm Smokin, he was sidelined until the following summer. Ashleyluvssugar

plied his trade in allowance/optional claimers until clearing his second-level

condition here on February 5. That earned his ticket to graded company, and

turned out to be the beginning of a three-race winning streak.

"This is just an amazing feeling," co-owner/breeder Joe Ciaglia said. "We

knew he'd be a little fresh, with two months off, but Gary's super smart and he

got him relaxed and had him well-spotted. He had to check there (on the far

turn), but he got outside and from there, we knew we had a chance to win.

"After his last race (the San Luis Rey) we were hoping it wasn't a fluke…Now

we know he's for real. We'd like to run in the Breeders' Cup, but we've got a

decision to make. The deadline is June 10 and we'll have to put up $50,000."

The four-year-old bay gelding is a half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed

Ashley's Sassy (Decarchy). Their dam, the Urgent Request mare Ashley's Folly, is

inbred 3x3 to Caro. Although he has no significant relatives in his immediate

family, under his fourth dam one finds Castle Royale (*Slady Castle), heroine of

the 1982 Sheepshead Bay H. (G2) and second in the Hialeah Turf Cup (G1), as well

as 2010 St Leger (Eng-G1) hero Arctic Cosmos (North Light).