01/31/2013 1:47PM

Turf Paradise: E Z Kitty the wild card in Glendale

By Michael Hammersly
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Coady Photography
E Z Kitty is entered for the Glendale on turf, but she has had all her success on dirt.

PHOENIX – The one-week postponement of Turf Paradise’s $35,000 Glendale Handicap has added a new and significant wrinkle. The 1 1/16-mile grass event for fillies and mares was part of last Saturday’s card, which was canceled after heavy rains made the main track and turf course unsuitable for racing. At that time, the circuit’s top female, E Z Kitty, was not entered. That is no longer the case.

A 5-year-old mare, E Z Kitty comes here off two dominant main-track wins, and she’s snatched top billing from the other seven in the race. But there’s a big caveat: This race is scheduled for turf and the poorest race of her career came on grass. It’s possible she has been entered in case the race gets washed off onto the main track, though more rain is not forecast for the Phoenix area.

Owned by Mike Chambers, John Xitco, and Dan Agnew and trained by Chambers, E Z Kitty tried turf here Oct. 27 in the Queen of the Green. She dueled for the lead but gave way, finishing seventh. She returned to dirt and romped by 4 1/4 lengths in the Phoenix and then by 4 3/4 lengths in the Kachina Handicap.

If the Glendale stays on the turf and E Z Kitty stays in the race, she’ll have her hands full with some proven grass performers, namely the very sharp locals Triveni and Smarty B and talented Northern California raider Cal Bayers.

Triveni invaded from California and dominated allowance foes on this course Dec. 23, winning by 5 1/4 lengths for owner Dwayne Woods and trainer Simon Callaghan. The 5-year-old mare’s win looks even better when you note that Collating Lady, who ran third, more than eight lengths behind her, came right back to win by 4 3/4 lengths on this course Jan. 7. Collating Lady is entered here as well.

Smarty B is a proven commodity for trainer Dan McFarlane, having finished first in 4 of her last 5, including the Chandler Handicap Nov. 17. She was later disqualified from purse money in that race, but came right back to win an allowance event here Dec. 26.

Cal Bayers invades from Northern California having won 6 of her last 11 (four of those wins on turf) and makes her first start for trainer Carl O’Callaghan, who claimed her for $12,500 off a main-track win at Golden Gate Nov. 16.