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.

The $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile highlights festivities as Turf Paradise celebrates its 62nd birthday Saturday.
 
Birthday festivities include a free long sleeve T-shirt to the first 4,000 fans; free multiple bounce inflatables for the kids; live music and Free birthday cake. The track first opened on January 7, 1956.
 
Named after the late Phoenix Suns’ coach who was also an avid horseplayer, the Fitzsimmons Mile attracted a field of 11 for the eight-furlong turf test. Cotton’s widow, JoAnn Fitzsimmons, will once again present the winner’s trophy.
 
The supporting feature, the $30,000 Glendale Handicap, drew a field of nine fillies and mares for the 1 1/16 mile turf test.
 
The Fitzsimmons Mile
Three out-of-state shippers will get a close look along with the locally based grass specialists.
 
From Belmont Park, Inside Straight will garner attention due to his victory in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. His two outings at Belmont Park were out-of-the-money efforts for leading trainer Robertino Diordoro.
 
From Del mar, Dressed in Hermes’ $268,141 bankroll from three lifetime wins stands out for trainer Mike Chambers. Chambers won this race in 2013 with Tiz Gianni and 2012 with Saratoga Boot.
 
And from Woodbine, Born in a Breeze’s overall turf record is must to consider. The 6-year-old finished third locally in the Cave Creek Stakes Dec. 26
 
The locals cannot be ignored either: He’s Munnie is a perfect two-for-two over the local lawn; Power Corrupt won the Walter Cluer but failed to fire in the Cave Creek; High Security has won allowance turf tests at Gulfstream Park and Arizona Moon stunned the betting public with his recent 32-1 upset in the Cave Creek Stakes.
 
The Glendale
Last year’s winner, Peppy Miller, is back to defend her title. The 8-year-old Kevin Eikleberry-trained mare comes off a sharp win in the Kachina Stakes.
 
The consistent Cleverly Beverly, a winner of eight grass races locally, finished fourth in November’s Queen of the Green.
 
Brookys Star, who won the Queen of the Green, stumbled at the start of the Kachina, compromising her front-running style.
 
Hip Ninety Three comes off a second place effort in the Queen of the Green and has finished no worse than second in her last four efforts, three of them on the grass.