Watch wager and win on the Belmont Stakes, along with its accompanying races, at Turf Paradise June 5th.  The races will be simulcast at Turf Paradise and its affiliated OTB’s for wagering in Arizona.

Gates open 8am June 5th at Turf Paradise. The only area open to the public will be the first floor of the Grandstand and the outside track apron. There will be no food or beverages served, however guests can bring their own food and beverages, excluding alcoholic beverages. There will be no admission or parking charges. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.

You can also watch and wager on the Belmont at any of our great OTB locations. For a list of Turf Paradise’s OTB partners follow this link.

https://www.turfparadise.com/otb-finder.html

At a special meeting Friday the Arizona Racing Commission approved by a 3-0 vote Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, plus that day’s accompanying races to be simulcast for wagering purposes in Arizona. The approval also included a partial card of Friday’s races for wagering purposes.
 
The Preakness card will be simulcast at Turf Paradise and at all its OTBs. Doors will open on track at 7:00 am.

At Thursday’s regularly scheduled meeting the Arizona Racing Commission decided to meet in special session Friday, May 14 at 12:15 pm for the express purpose of approving Saturday’s Preakness Stakes simulcast along with its accompanying races for wagering in Arizona. The approval would also include several of Pimlico’s Friday races, including the Black Eyed Susan stakes. Both days of Pimlico’s races will be simulcast at Turf Paradise and at all it’s OTBs.

“I applaud the Commission for doing this for the state’s horse racing industry and for the thousands of Arizona horseplayers,”said track general manager Vincent Francia.

Turf Paradise has been advised that the Arizona Racing Commission will meet in special session Friday, May 14 for the express purpose of approving the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, plus the accompanying races of the Preakness day card. It is also understood that the approval would extend to the approval of Pimlico’s Friday’s races which includes the Black Eyed Susan Stakes.
 
“If approved by the Commission, Pimlico’s Friday card and Saturday’s Preakness Stakes and accompanying races will be simulcast on-track at Turf Paradise and at all of our OTBs,” said track general manager Vincent Francia.
 
This site will provide continuing updates.

$40,000 Joanne Dye Breeders’ Oaks
3 YO Fillies, 6 furlongs
Prohibitive 1-9 favorite Alberta Sun with Glenn Corbett sitting confidently for owner Randy Howg and trainer Robertino Diodoro registered a daylight win over three rival fillies; Who B Dat finished second, Reign of Fire third.
Now having won half of her eight lifetime starts, Alberta Sun covered the 6 furlongs in 1:10.17.
 
$30,000 Lyman and Bradley Rollins Stakes
3YO & Up
6 Furlongs
The chalk continued as 3-5 Annies Boy with Daniel Vergara up for owner Michael Feigenbaum and trainer Rafael Barraza out raced Ramblin’ Man and Two the Punch in the field of five, covering the 6 panels in 1:09.28 for his fourth win in 11 outings.
 
$30,000 Dwight D. Patterson Stakes
3 YO & Up
1 1/16 miles (turf)
Triple AAA Ranch’s, R. Kory Owens trained Beat the Heat at 1-5 pulled away from three rivals (Monumental Seven, second, Arizona Jeremy, third) to cover the distance over firm lawn in 1:43.25. The win pushed Beat the Heat over the hundred thousand mark in career earnings.
 
$50,000 Gene Fleming Breeders Derby
3 YO
1 1/16 miles
Yet more chalk as the Kevin Eikleberry-trained, Reunion Racing Stables’-owned 8-5 favorite Smooth Papa with Francisco Garcia edged away from four rivals to cover the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.94 for his third win in three efforts. Pace-maker Tactical Attack held second and Stephen James third, who is also trained by Eikleberry.
 
$30,000 Ann Owens Distaff Stakes
3 YO & Up, F & M
6 Furlongs
Owner Howg and trainer Diodoro teamed up for the second win on Breed day with 1-2 prohibitive favorite Arizona Sun with leading rider Luis Negron up, winning as she pleased over runner-up My Crafty Gal and Shoe Game third in the field of six rivals. Arizona Sun zipped the 6-panels in 1:09.19 for the filly’s sixth tally in 14 attempts.
 

America’s most famous horse race, the $2 million Kentucky Derby will be simulcast at Turf Paradise and at its 46 Off Track Betting sites on Saturday, May 1. This will also be the final day of the live race meet.
 
Unlike previous years, Turf Paradise will not host its annual Derby Buffet due to the Coronavirus. In fact, the Clubhouse and Turf Club will be closed.
 
However, The Bulleit Bourbon Derby Day Club presented by Sanderson Lincoln will return to the track’s family picnic grove and also in a trackside covered pavilion. Tickets and reserved tables, which are on sale now, have a wide range of privileges to enjoy the extraordinary day. Derby Day Club guests enjoy amazing views plus convenient access to Turf Paradise betting machines, no-host bar inside the tent for Mint Juleps, champagne and cocktails, close proximity to food trucks for additional refreshments and 65" TVs to watch the Kentucky Derby and live horse racing at Turf Paradise. 
 
The only area open to the public will be the first floor of the Grandstand and the outside track apron. There will be no food or beverage served. There will be no admission or parking charges. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
 
“Our approach this year is to keep everyone safe while enjoying the Kentucky Derby,” said track general manager Vincent Francia. “We feel that between being on-site at the track or at any one of our 46 OTB sites we can do this. Masks will be required and social distancing will be observed.”
 
Doors will open at Turf Paradise at 7:00 am to accommodate the early simulcasts from Churchill Downs. The first live race post is 11:30 am. The Kentucky Derby is set for 3:50 pm.
 
 

 

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.