Canadians wintering in Arizona found it profitable as owner Randy Howg and trainer Robertino Diodoro swept the two juvenile stakes Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
$30,000 Lost in the Fog
Howg and Diodoro, both from the province of Alberta, opened the sweep with Shane Doan ($10.40) with David Lopez up to win the Lost in the Fog by 1 ½  lengths with Bocephus second and 6-5 favorite Trigger Warning third in the field of eight 2-year-old colts and geldings.
 
Shane Doan, a son of Stay Thirsty, made every pole a winning won while covering the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17:04 for his second consecutive win in seven career outings. Shane Doan’s winner’s share of $18,042 boosted his earnings to $42,032.
 
The Howg-Diodoro combo won this race in 2013 with My Rochester.
 
The Arizona Juvenile
The Canadian entry of Howg and Diodoro came right back with 6-5 favorite Gorgeous Ginny ($4.60) in the fillies division who proceeded to do a seven-length walk-in-the-park victory with Glenn Corbett along for “the joy or riding.”
Dontkissntell finished second, three lengths in front of Littsisterdon’tu who finished third in the field of nine juvenile misses.
 
Gorgeous Ginny, a daughter of Take Charge Indy, zipped the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.28 for her second win in four outings and first stakes win from two previous tries. Gorgeous Ginny’s earnings now stand at $100,112.
 
“Winning should be so easy,” said Corbett.
 

The $30,000 Lost in the Fog stakes and $30,000 Arizona Juvenile Fillies will place 2-year-olds in the spotlight Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
The Lost in the Fog drew a field of eight while the Arizona Juvenile, for fillies, attracted a field of 11. Both races will be run at 6 ½ furlongs.
 
The Lost in the Fog
Named after the brilliant but star crossed colt who holds the track record pf 1:13.55 for winning this race in 2004, the Lost in the Fog has once again assembled the fastest 2-year-old colts and gelding on the grounds.
 
This year’s edition boils down to the Talented Trigger Warning. The Candy Ride colt has been the talk of the backstretch for some time. Since his winning maiden debut locally Nov. 20, Trigger Warning has reeled three works, punctuated by a bullet move of :34.4 (best of 17) for three furlongs on Dec. 11. Trained by Joe Lejzerowicz, Trigger Warning will be reunited with Scott Stevens.
 
The two who finished behind Trigger Warning’s maiden win, Shane Doan and Bocephus, will take another shot. Shane Doan was actually favored over Trigger Warning in their first encounter but fell a length short of victory at the wire.
 
Az Juvenile Fillies
The fillies division does not lack for star power as Foggia and Mycella re-engage in battle after their first meeting ended with the latter eking out an half length win over the then undefeated Foggia at the wire.
 
Another to consider is the California ship-in Gorgeous Ginny who after breaking her maiden at Santa Anita at first asking went on to finish a game second in the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes.

The day after Christmas elves were generous as Arizona Moon rose to the occasion to spring a $66.00 upset in the $25,000 Cave Creek Stakes Tuesday at Turf Paradise.
 
Let go at 32-1 Arizona Moon, with Isaias Enriquez aboard. rallied from last in the nine horse field by making a sweeping move at the head of the lane and then drawing off to a 4 ½  length victory over 4-5 favorite Way Striking with Born in a Breeze third in a field of 3-year-olds and up.
 
Owned by John Campo and trained by his daughter Stacy, Arizona Moon was winning for the first time in 11 starts since November of last year. The winner covered the one mile in a sprightly 1:35.84 due to the fast early splits set by the runnerup, Shrewd Move and Thetrailerguy.
 
Arizona Moon, a 4-year-old colt by Macho Uno, was winning for the fourth time in 24 starts and now has earnings of $88,202.

In 1956 Elvis topped the charts, gas was 23 cents a gallon, the average home was $22,000, and Turf Paradise opened its doors for the first time.   Turf Paradise is turning 62 and the iconic Phoenix racetrack is celebrating by throwing a birthday party thanking its fans Saturday January 13.
 
 In addition to a full card of live horseracing, the first 4000 paid admissions will get a free long sleeve T-shirt. There’s also live music, a kids fun park, free birthday cake, and $3 aluminum bottled beer. 
 
And new this year, some of the Valley’s most popular food trucks will be on site serving Italian food, fry bread, mac and cheese, lobster, pies, and Chinese food.
 
Grandstand admission is $3 and kids 16 and under get in free.
 
Turf Paradise opened its doors at 19th Ave and Bell in 1956. At the time it was far removed from the heart of the city, surrounded by desert and dirt roads. Over the decades the city has literally grown up around the track. Turf Paradise is the state’s first professional sports franchise.
 
The birthday party also feature one of the premier races of the season named after one of the track’s most iconic fans. The $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile is named in honor of the late Phoenix Suns coach who was an avid racing fan and a regular at the track.

The celebration continues as Turf Paradise hosts $2 Day on MLK Day January 15th. Grandstand admission, draft beer, popcorn, sodas, programs, ice cream, and hot dogs are just $2. There will also be a live DJ.
 
On both days the gates open at 11am and the first post time is 12:40pm.

Turf Paradise General Manager Vince Francia said, “This is our way of thanking the fans for 62 seasons in Phoenix and we’re just getting started.”
 
The season also includes:
 
•           Fiesta Sundays (last Sunday of the month except December) featuring Mexican food and music
•           Super Saturday February 10th
•           Wiener Dog Races March 3rd
•           Camel and Ostrich Races March 17th
•           Kentucky Derby Party May 5th
 
Who: Turf Paradise
What: 62nd Anniversary Party
When: Saturday, January 13. Gates open at 11a.m.
Where: Turf Paradise 1501 West Bell Road
Why: To celebrate 62 seasons of horseracing in Arizona
How Much: Grandstand admission is just $3
More Info: Call (602) 942-1101/ Online www.turfparadise.com

Horseplayer picks delivered in two of three stakes while an upsetter spoiled the hat trick sweep of favorites Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
$50,000 Az Breeders’ Futurity, Colts and Geldings
The bridge jumpers who wagered $41,000 to show on Fortified Effort might have lost a breath or two as the 2-5 favorite found himself blocked by a wall of horses with less than a furlong remaining of the 6 furlong test. But when a sliver of daylight appeared Ry Eikleberry guided and gunned Fortified Effort ($2.80) thru a tight tunnel to claim victory by one length over Oldtoytrain with Beat the Heat third in the field of nine Arizona bred 2-year-old colts and geldings.
 
Trained by Kevin Eikleberry and owned by a consortium of friends (including the trainer) of Lloyd Yother, Bill Mathews and Marvin Fleming, Fortified Effort covered the distance in 1:10.60 for his fourth win in seven career efforts for earnings of $127,238.
 
$25,000 Cactus Wren
The 1-5 favorite Shrewd Move ($2.60) with Leslie Mawing up made victory look text-book easy, drawing off at will to win by 4 ¼ lengths over Yo Y Me with Sedona Sunrise third in the field of seven 3-year-olds and up.
 
Owned by Yeaman’s Racing Stable and trained by Dan McFarlane, the 5-year-old Shrewd Move, who was notching his second local stake win of the season, raced the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.89.
 
Shrewd Move has now won 11 of 40 starts for earnings of $197,289.
 
$50,000 Az Breeders’ Futurity, Fillies
The wire did not come soon enough for the two-race undefeated and 1-5 favorite Foggia with Scott Stevens up as she was caught at the wire and lost by a half-length to the fast-closing Myrcella ($16.00) with Chad Lindsay aboard. Littlesisterdon’tu finished third in the field of nine juvenile fillies.
 
Owned by Reagan Anderson and Molly Pearson and trained by Pearson, Myrcella covered the 6-furlongs in 1:10.53. It was the second win in 6 efforts for the daughter of Tribal Rule who now has earnings of $54,041.