Three-year-old grass aces will be featured in the $30,000 Tempe and $30,000 Scottsdale Handicaps Saturday at Turf Paradise.
The Tempe drew seven aspirants while the Scottsdale, for 3-year-old fillies, attracted a field of eight. Both races will be run at one mile over the grass course. Post time for the first of eight races is 12:55 pm.
The Tempe
The Dan McFarland-trained Primo Touch is the obvious one to beat. The son of British sire Midas Touch is coming off back-to-back stakes wins in the Turf Paradise Derby and the Startac stakes. In addition, the lay-off-the pace runner is a perfect three-for-three over the local greensward. McFarlane has won this race twice before in 2017 and 2014.
Competition is expected from the Robertino Diodoro-trained Playoff Bound who broke his maiden two starts back with a 6 ¾ length romp over the turf as the favorite. However, he could do no better than sixth in his recent effort in the Turf Paradise Derby.
The Scottsdale
The fillies division comes up more competitive with three of the eight entrants coming off wins and a Vann Belvoir shipper coming in from Santa Anita. Plus there’s the back-on-form Foggia, whose recent second place finish in the Arizona Oaks, is in the race.
The three last race winners: Shesaheatwave, a 2 ½ length winner against maiden claiming $20,000; Brechin’s Command, debut winner against optional claiming $20,000 and Acharnement, four-length maiden winner at one mile (turf).
The west-coast shipper: My Masterpiece, who has been facing tougher at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, has won two of six outings on the grass.
And Foggia: Broke her maiden at first asking as a 2-year-old and then followed with a victory in the ATBA Stakes and a second in the Breeders’ Futurity; finished second in her first start as a 3-year-old in the Arizona Oaks.
The Tempe drew seven aspirants while the Scottsdale, for 3-year-old fillies, attracted a field of eight. Both races will be run at one mile over the grass course. Post time for the first of eight races is 12:55 pm.
The Tempe
The Dan McFarland-trained Primo Touch is the obvious one to beat. The son of British sire Midas Touch is coming off back-to-back stakes wins in the Turf Paradise Derby and the Startac stakes. In addition, the lay-off-the pace runner is a perfect three-for-three over the local greensward. McFarlane has won this race twice before in 2017 and 2014.
Competition is expected from the Robertino Diodoro-trained Playoff Bound who broke his maiden two starts back with a 6 ¾ length romp over the turf as the favorite. However, he could do no better than sixth in his recent effort in the Turf Paradise Derby.
The Scottsdale
The fillies division comes up more competitive with three of the eight entrants coming off wins and a Vann Belvoir shipper coming in from Santa Anita. Plus there’s the back-on-form Foggia, whose recent second place finish in the Arizona Oaks, is in the race.
The three last race winners: Shesaheatwave, a 2 ½ length winner against maiden claiming $20,000; Brechin’s Command, debut winner against optional claiming $20,000 and Acharnement, four-length maiden winner at one mile (turf).
The west-coast shipper: My Masterpiece, who has been facing tougher at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, has won two of six outings on the grass.
And Foggia: Broke her maiden at first asking as a 2-year-old and then followed with a victory in the ATBA Stakes and a second in the Breeders’ Futurity; finished second in her first start as a 3-year-old in the Arizona Oaks.
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