When Peter Eurton walked into the winner’s circle after Spun Not Stirred won a $32,000 claiming race for maidens last Sunday, it was the stable’s fourth win in a little more than a week at Santa Anita.
Eurton missed most of it. He spent time in mid-March overseeing his Midwest stable, which has grown lately to include runners at Turfway Park in Kentucky and Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.
Last Saturday, the Eurton-trained Charlie’s to Blame finished ninth in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, the same day Tarantino was second in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park. Eurton spent Saturday at Turfway Park.
“I was gone for 10 days,” Eurton said.
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Earlier this month, Eurton won an allowance race at Colonial Downs in Virginia.
This is not only the present setup, but the future for Eurton’s operation, which includes 35 horses at Santa Anita and 30 in the Midwest and is expected to grow in coming weeks.
“I haven’t bought any babies in at either place,” he said of juveniles.
Eurton has won races at eight venues in six states in the last six months. While the stable has a nationwide presence, the Santa Anita stable is in the midst of an excellent March, winning with 4 of 11 starters, all since March 16.
“I love what I do,” he said of the stable’s widespread approach.
At Santa Anita, Eurton won the Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on the hillside turf course on March 16 with Prancingthruparis, a 4-year-old. In February, Prancingthruparis won an allowance race at a mile on turf, and could return to that distance in the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at Santa Anita on May 24.
“She’s turned it around,” Eurton said. “When she turned 4, she got a little better.”
This week, Eurton has a runner at Turfway Park on Thursday, one at Oaklawn Park on Friday and three at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday.
Eurton, 67, began racing more extensively in Kentucky last year at the urging of some of his clients, who were seeking higher prize money than what is offered in Southern California. The transition has led Eurton to purchase a second home in Lexington, Ky.
“It will close escrow” on Friday, he said.
Eurton expects to be active at the Keeneland spring meeting that runs from April 4-25.
“We have some spots for horses with conditions,” he said.
Charlie’s to Blame, who won the Kitten’s Joy Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 1 in his 3-year-old debut, is considered a candidate for the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes, a $1 million race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on grass at Churchill Downs on May 3.
A return to California is not in the short-term plan for Charlie’s to Blame.
“The money is so attractive back East,” Eurton said.
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