Chief Cicatriz fresh for this year’s Phoenix Gold Cup

PHOENIX – When Chief Cicatriz ran in last year’s Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise he’d been busy beforehand with three straight wins. He then finished third in the Gold Cup. This year they will try a different tack with the 8-yearold gelded son of Munnings as he comes into Friday’s Phoenix Gold Cup off a freshening and looms the one to beat. The $75,000 Gold Cup, the meet’s marquee event, goes as race 5 and drew a field of six. The sixfurlong fixture heads a stakes quartet including the $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons (race 7), $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby (race 8), and $50,000 Arizona Oaks (race 6).

Owned by Roy Gene Evans and trained by Shawn Davis, Chief Cicatriz has had a wonderful career, winning 15 of 25 starts. This marks his first outing since he won a sprint stakes at Remington on Sept. 27, posting one of his best Beyer Speed Figures, a 102. And while he lost last year’s Gold Cup, he’s been brilliant over this track, winning his other five local starts. He carries high weight of 125 pounds with Alfredo Juarez Jr.

His main opposition may come from Minister of Soul, who ran second ahead of Chief Cicatriz in last year’s Gold Cup. Minister of Soul, a 7-year-old gelded son of Ministers Wild Cat, came back from a ninemonth layoff to be a sharp second in an allowance here Feb. 3 for owner/trainer Esteban Martinez. Glenn Corbett rides at 120 pounds.

Raagheb, a 9-year-old gelded son of Street Cry is the horse who edged Minister of Soul in that Feb. 3 race, after a smart win in the Hank Mills Sr. here Jan. 4 for owners Paul Miller and Bill Tomasic and trainer Justin Evans. Luis Negron is up again at 123 pounds.

Cotton Fitzsimmons

The venerable Ohio looks to win his third straight $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons as the 10-year-old gelding leads a field of eight going a mile on turf. Ohio romped by 6 1/2 lengths in the 2019 renewal and then gamely captured last year’s running by a neck. He comes off a solid third against allowance foes Jan. 15 at Santa Anita. His main rivals figure to be fellow California raider Cleopatra’s Strike, a Grade 2 winner in his glory days, and Articulator, coming off two straight stakes wins here including the Walter Cluer at this same trip.

Turf Paradise Derby

Northern California invader It’s My House leads a competitive renewal of the $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby as 11 3-year-olds are entered in the 1 1/16-mile contest. It’s My House set the pace before finishing fourth in the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 13 at Golden Gate. This marks his first start on dirt. The locals are represented by Beckham James, Mr. Tripledouble, and Tony’s Tapit, who finished one-two-three in an allowance sprint here Feb. 23, separated by just two noses.

◗ Empire House, a $500,000 daughter of classic winner and top sire Empire Maker, invades from California to lead a field of eight 3-year-old fillies in the $50,000 Arizona Oaks at a mile. She won her maiden on dirt Dec. 18 at Los Alamitos before finishing eighth on turf against winners Jan. 10 at Santa Anita. The return to dirt likely helps. Challengers include fellow California raiders A Real Hero, who defeated males in a maiden route at Golden Gate, and My Princess Ellie, third in an allowance race at this distance Jan. 23 at Santa Anita.