While Ohio became the first three-time consecutive winner of the $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile, Chief Cicatriz became the first three-time winner of the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup Friday at Turf Paradise Race Course.
 
The 6-5 favorite Ohio (BRZ), shipping in from Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy, was deftly handled by local jockey Luis Fuentes, and overcame the pace-setting Overdue with Popular Kid third in the field of eight older horses.
 
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Ohio ($4.80), who was notching his unprecedented third consecutive victory in this race, covered the one mile over firm turf in 1:37.27.
 
Meanwhile, Chief Cicatriz ($3.80) made his own history by becoming the first three-time winner in the 65 year history of the Gold Cup. Owned by Roy Evans, trained by Shawn Davis and ridden to victory by Alfredo Juarez, Jr., the 8-year-old gelding covered the 6-furlongs in 1:08.83 for his 16th lifetime win.
 
Finishing second behind Chief Cicatriz was the hard-charging Raagheb and third former Gold Cup winner Minister of Soul in the compact field of five.
 
In the two supporting stakes: The California shipper and Robert Hess, Jr.-trained favorite Its My House ($6.20) with Glenn Corbett aboard, out-gammed Tony’s Tapit with Saturday’s Value third to win the $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby in the field of 11 3-year-olds.
 
The winner, owned by Larry Katz, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.05.
 
Longshot Don’tpassthepepper ($17.40) with Leslie Mawing up was a nose the best over Gemstone Gal with Focus First third  to win the $50,000 Arizona Oaks.
 
Owned by Roys Mansur and trained by Ed Kereluk, Don’tpassthepepper covered the one mile in 1:38.75.
 

Veteran jockey Glenn Corbett registered his 4,000th career win when guiding Arabian Story to a come from behind victory in the 4th race Monday, March 8th  at Turf Paradise Race Course.
 
Corbett, 55, who won his first race at Penn National Race Course in 1985, has been ranked among the Top 10 riders locally for the past 15 racing season. Corbett, who hails from Washington, Georgia, won Turf Paradise’s Leading Rider’s title in 2007 with 126 victories.
 
Corbett is the 78th North American-based rider to reach the 4,000 wins plateau. Through March 8, his mounts have earned over $55 million in purses from a record of 4,000-3649-3,249 from 25,497 career starts.
 
Corbett, who also recorded his 3,000th career win at Turf Paradise on December 22, 2009, competed in the 2002 Kentucky Derby (G1), riding Lusty Latin to a 15th place finish.
 

The $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile and the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup top a four stakes agenda on an 8-race card Friday, March 12 at Turf Paradise.
 
The Fitzsimmons Mile, named after the late coach of the Phoenix Suns, drew a field of eight for the 8-furlong turf test. The Gold Cup, the track’s premier sprint race at 6 furlongs, lured a select field of six sprinters, including two previous winners for the 6-furlong sprint. The two supporting stakes are the $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby at 1 1/16 miles, which attracted a field of 11 and the $50,000 Arizona Oaks at one mile with a field of eight.
 
Among the Fitzsimmons field of eight is Ohio (BRZ) a two-time consecutive winner (2019-20) of this race who is seeking an unprecedented three peat. Following his 2019 Fitzsimmons win, the Brazilian bred Ohio won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, before returning to become the first two-time winner in 2020 of the Fitzsimmons Mile.
 
The Phoenix Gold Cup, which is celebrating its 65th renewal, has attracted two previous Gold Cup winners in two-time winner Chief Cicatriz (2017-18) and Minister of Soul (2019).
 
The Arizona Oaks appears to be a showdown between four California shippers and four locally based fillies.
 
Four-time winner Tony’s Tapit gets the edge on most wins while Golden Gate shipper It’s My House, trained by Bob Hess, gets the nod in best speed figure in the Turf Paradise Derby.