Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Gold Cup, Fitzsimmons lead stellar five-stakes program
PHOENIX – Turf Paradise puts out its own version of Super Saturday as the Phoenix track presents five stakes, headed by the meet’s marquee event, the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup.
Also on tap are the $100,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons, $75,000 Turf Paradise Derby, $75,000 Arizona Oaks and $60,000 Queen of the Green.
The six-furlong Gold Cup (race 7), for 4-year-olds and up, drew 12, with a mixture of scary invaders such as Southern California shippers Radical Right and Howbeit as well as sharp New Mexico invader Competitive Idea. They will face local hopes including defending champ Tiger Dad, the streaking Truth Seeker, and 2019 winner Minister of Soul.
The Cotton Fitzsimmons (race 8), at 1 1/16 miles on the grass for 3-year-olds and up, also drew 12, led by Grade 1-winning Southern California shipper Smooth Like Strait. The Turf Paradise Derby (race 6), drew 12 3-year-old males, including invaders Thirsty John and Tiz Tok and top local sophomores Arizona Andrew, Special Moment, and I Am Freaky Fast.
The Arizona Oaks (race 5), at a mile on the main track, drew eight 3-year-old fillies led by top local runner Beyond Awesome, who is asked to route for the first time. The Queen of the Green (race 4), at 1 1/16 miles on turf, drew eight fillies and mares, 4 years old and up, headed by top local turf females Yankee Dollar and La Castiglione and Southern California shipper Ice Queen.
Radical Right ships in for the Gold Cup, having run second in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita Feb. 5. That certainly gives him a class edge. Howbeit, who was fourth in the Palos Verdes, is cross-entered but is likely to run in the Grade 3, $200,000 San Carlos Saturday at Santa Anita.
Competitive Idea comes here on the strength of a powerful win in the Fort Bliss at Sunland Park Jan. 29.
Tiger Dad is the defending champ, but the 7-year-old gelding hasn’t won in nine starts since. Truth Seeker has won three of his last four. All three wins came sprinting on this track, whereas the one loss, where he ran third, came routing on turf. Minister of Soul, the hard-knocking 9-year-old, runs in this for an amazing fifth time. He won the Gold Cup in 2019, ran second in 2020, third in 2021, and fifth in 2022. He comes off a good second to Truth Seeker in an allowance sprint here Feb. 18.
◗ On paper Smooth Like Strait dominates the Cotton Fitzsimmons. The 6-year-old has routinely run in Grade 1 and Grade 2 races, and handled himself very well. He faces no one like that here and could easily have gone in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita last Saturday and not been out of place. His main hurdle may be fellow Southern California shipper Yes This Time, who drops out of the Grade 3 San Marcos at Santa Anita Feb. 5. He faded to seventh there but that was going 1 1/4 miles. Along with the drop he gets a more favorable distance. Sonny Smack may be the best local hope as the 8-year-old gelding comes off a strong 26-1 upset in the Turf Paradise Handicap here Feb. 11.
◗ Thirsty John led all the way to win the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita Jan. 7. He then dueled in a strong allowance race at Oaklawn Feb. 18 before giving way. He’s capable of better and a return to his Cal Cup Derby form makes him dangerous in the Turf Paradise Derby. Tiz Tok was a smashing maiden winner at Santa Anita Feb. 17. Trainer John Sadler, of Flightline fame, not only saw fit to claim him for $40,000 that day, he gives him this encouraging class hike. Special Moment, I Am Freaky Fast, and Arizona Andrew just ran 1-2-3 in the Startac here Feb. 18. That came on grass, but all three are proven on this main track.
◗ Beyond Awesome appears formidable in the Oaks, as the daughter of Boos comes here off four straight wins. All four came sprinting so it’s a new, longer trip, though her sire’s sire, Ghostzapper, was Horse of the Year and won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, so there’s stamina influence. Don’t Get Pickled was a close second to Beyond Awesome in a sprint stakes here Jan. 28 and then won a turf-route stakes here Feb. 18 so Saturday’s added ground could be the equalizer.
◗ Yankee Dollar goes into the Queen of the Green off four straight wins, all on this turf course. All four came going a bit shorter, a mile, but she’s finished out her races well enough to make you believe she can handle the added ground. La Castiglione rallied gamely to win the Glendale routing on this course Nov. 26, making her 2 for 2 on turf. She then romped in a mile dirt stakes here Jan. 23 so she’s sharp as a tack. Ice Queen invades from Southern California seemingly on the rise with three straight strong turf efforts.