| CHIEF CICATRIZ Phoenix Gold Cup Turf Paradise Phoenix, Arizona February 10, 2018 Race #07 Purse $75,000 6 Furlongs 1:07.95 Roy Gene Evans, Owner Shawn Davis, Trainer Andrew Ramgeet, Jockey Leadem in Ken (2nd) Aristocratic (3rd) $3.60 $2.20 $2.10 Order of Finish - 3, 6, 1, 7 Please Give Photo Credit To: Coady Photography |
The $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup headlines three stakes on Super Saturday at Turf Paradise.
Super Saturday consists of three stakes surrounded by plenty of family-oriented promotions. In addition to the Gold Cup, the track’s premier sprint race run at 6-furlongs, there will be the $30,000 Sun City Handicap and $30,000 and the $30,000 Turf Paradise Handicap. The Sun City, which attracted a field of nine 4-year-old and up fillies and mares, will be run at one mile on the turf. The Turf Paradise Handicap, also attracted a field of nine, 4-year-olds and up, for the 1 1/16 mile turf test. The family fun starts immediately after passing thru the turnstiles as the first 4,500 fans will receive a free race horse designed T-shirt (starting at 11:00 am). Free for the kids will be multiple bounce inflatables, pony rides and face painters (Noon-4:00 pm). Live music will be provided all day by The Aaron Nelson Project. There will also be a Meet & Greet photo signing with the jockeys (11:00 am to Noon). And to guarantee the laughs, there will be a Bulldog Fashion Show (1:00 pm-2:00 pm). The National Anthem will be sung by Stephani Loffredo, a retired military and law enforcement officer, at approximately 12 noon. The Gold Cup The 62nd running of the Gold Cup, which drew a field of seven sprinters, features matchups between east and west coast as well as last year’s local defending champion, Chief Cicatriz. The “Chief” is the real thing. The 5-year-old Munnings gelding trained by Shawn Davis, has won six of eight efforts, including three stakes at three different tracks. The Chief, who has never lost when favored, took the Gold Cup last year in wire-to-wire fashion; he signaled his readiness to defend his title by romping to an easy, near track-record win in the Gold Cup prep, the Hank Mills Stakes Jan. 20. But the Chief needs to be at his best. From Belmont Park comes crack sprinter, Chief Lion, who has over $700,000 in earnings. The 8-year-old has started in 44 races and won 11 of them. From southern California, Aristocratic ships in from Santa Anita. The 4-year-old has won two of ten efforts and finished third in Santa Anita’s Laz Barerra (G3). Three Stakes Races & Budweiser Classic Plus A Bulldog Fashion Show And A Jockey Meet& Greet1/23/2018
Super Saturday February 10 The biggest day in Arizona horseracing just got bigger. February 10th is Super Saturday at Turf Paradise and will feature some of the best thoroughbred horses in the southwest. In addition to three stakes races and the Budweiser Classic, the day also features a Bulldog Fashion Show and a special meet& greet with the Turf Paradise Jockey Colony. Grandstand admission is just $3. Kids 16 and under get in for free. The first 4,500 paid admissions will get a free T-shirt. Super Saturday includes these stakes races. The $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup The $30,000 Turf Paradise Handicap The $30,000 Sun City Handicap In addition to live and local horseracing local bulldogs and their pet parents will be showcasing the latest in canine fashion at the pavilion tent. Turf Paradise fans will have the opportunity to meet the jockeys at Turf through a meet and greet from 11am to noon on the track apron. The day also features:
The season includes Special Fiesta Sundays throughout the season featuring Mexican food and music Wiener Dog Races March 3rd Camel and Ostrich Races March 17th Kentucky Derby Party May 5th Turf Paradise is Arizona’s first sports franchise, and has operated continuously at the same location at 19th Ave and Bell. It offers one of the longest racing seasons in the United States thanks to Arizona’s great weather. Through Off Track Betting networks its races are viewed at OTB locations all over the United States and worldwide. Chief Cicatriz scored a decisive victory in the $30,000 Hank Mills, Sr. Stakes Saturday at Turf Paradise, giving notice that he is ready to defend his title in the upcoming Phoenix Gold Cup.
The $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup, the track’s premier sprint stakes and won by Chief Cicatriz last year, will be run Feb. 10 at six furlongs. The Hank Mills Returning from a nine-month layoff Chief Cicatriz ($5.40) left no doubt as to his fitness and his ambition to repeat-win in February’s Gold Cup. Chief Cicatriz seized the lead under Andrew Ramgeet while dueling with Shrewd Move. The two matched strides until the quarter pole when Chief Cicatriz then pulled away to 3 ½ length victory. Shrewd Move held second, a length in front of Redneck Humor in the field of eight older horses. Owned by Roy Gene Evans and trained by Shawn Davis, Chief Cicatriz, a 3-year-old son of Munnings, covered the 5 ½ furlongs in a snappy 1:01.69. The track record is 1:01.20. The $18,042 winner’s share raised Chief Cicatriz’s earnings to $165,686 from six wins in eight career starts. The $25,000 Sun Devil Sprint The Robert Garvey owned, Robertino Diodoro-trained Fight to Glory ($2.80) was racing against the clock as she swept to a 6 ½ length victory over Erratic Storm with Little Dume third in the field of seven fillies and mares. Ridden by Daniel Vergara, Fight to Glory covered the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.94 for her fifth win in 11 starts and $91,297 in earnings. The $25,000 Startac Stakes There was Primo Touch in his own zone and then there was the rest of the field. Trained by Dan McFarlane and owned by Dino Balas, Primo Touch ($3.40) cruised to a 12 ½ length victory with Glenn Corbett aboard. Bocephus was second and Oh Brother Jack third in the field of six 3-year-olds. Primo Touch, a son of Midas Touch, covered the 7 ½ furlongs over firm turf in 1:30.53 for his third win in 10 attempts and $48,427 in earnings.
In a day of head-bobbing photo-finishes, Inside Straight got the nod over a fast-closing High Security to win the $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Saturday at Turf Paradise.
Ridden by leading rider Glenn Corbett for leading trainer Robertino Diodoro, Inside Straight ($11.00) ran in tandem with stablemate Way Striking for three-quarters of a mile before shaking loose and having enough left to hold off by a head the furious charge of High Security, in the field of ten colts and geldings. Inside Straight covered the one mile over firm turf in 1:36.63 for owner Randy Howg. Inside Straight earned $44,175 for the win, which increased his earning to $797,064 from eight career wins from 23 outings. The winner’s trophy was presented by Cotton’s widow, JoAnn Fitzsimmons, who was joined by former Phoenix Suns players and Suns personnel who were friends with her late husband. $30,000 Glendale Handicap In another too close to call finish, Comet Sixty Two nosed out Cleverly Beverly who was a neck in front of McKenzie Honey who finished third in the field of nine fillies and mares. With Scott Stevens up for trainer Dan McFarlane, Comet Sixty Two ($10.60) covered the 1 1/16 miles over the turf in 1:44.37. Owned by Barro Racing, Comet Sixty Two earned $17,856 for the win, raising her bankroll to $238,806 from six career victories. The $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile will be the featured race Saturday as Turf Paradise celebrates its 62nd birthday.
Named after the late Phoenix Suns’ coach, who was also an avid horseplayer, the Fitzsimmons Mile (turf) attracted a field of 11, headed by three ship-ins: California’s Dressed in Hermes, New York’s Inside Straight and Canadian-based Born in a Breeze. Turf Paradise first opened January 7, 1956. |
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