Arizona-breds get their day in the sun

PHOENIX – Turf Paradise celebrates the state product Saturday, with four stakes for Arizona-breds, headed by the $50,000 Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby. That 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-olds drew a field of six, headed by Fortified Effort, second in the Turf Paradise Derby here Feb. 17, and goes as race 6 on the nine-race card.

The other stakes are the $25,000 Lyman and Bradley Rollins Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs (race 3), the $30,000 Joanne Dye Breeders’ Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf (race 4), and the $25,000 Dwight D. Patterson Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf (race 8).

Fortified Effort won three straight to start this meet in the fall, the last two in stakes. He then went to Sunland to run third in the Riley Allison before returning here to finish second to likely horse of the meet Primo Touch in the Turf Paradise Derby. Fortified Effort again shipped to Sunland Park on March 25, this time for the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby. After stalking the pace, he gave way badly to end up last of 12. He’s back to his home base and has worked strongly since the Sunland Derby.

Fortified Effort is a son of Ez Effort owned by J. Lloyd Yother, William Matthews, Marvin Fleming, and Kevin Eikleberry, and trained by Eikleberry. Ry Eikleberry rides.

His main threat may come from Oh Brother Jack. A son of Allover owned by Top Hat Thoroughbreds and trained by Dan McFarlane, he rallied well from far back to be fourth in the Turf Paradise Derby. Oh Brother Jack moves back to dirt after finishing second to Primo Touch in the Tempe Handicap on turf here March 10.

◗ Royal Privacy looms the one to beat in the Lyman and Bradley Rollins, having won six of his last seven races. He was claimed for $10,000 out of his lone loss during that streak here Jan. 23 by trainer Manuel Ortiz and has won three straight while moving up in class. He may be ready for this stakes assignment.

Among his six rivals are Yo Y Me, a multiple stakes winner here; Bar Scene, a sharp winner last month in his first start here since coming from Southern California; and John Arnold, a stakes winner on turf here last month.

◗ Shesaheatwave, owned by Debi Ferguson and trained by Curt Ferguson, is the only one in the field of seven for the Joanne Dye Breeders’ Oaks who can boast of a turf win. She comes off two straight wins, having won a dirt sprint here Feb. 14 and then capturing a $16,000 claiming race on the turf at the 7 1/2-furlong distance of the Joanne Dye Breeders’ Oaks on March 12. Foggia, fourth in her only turf start, the Scottsdale Handicap here, looms a threat, as does Bonita Annie, a maiden who ran second in the Arizona Stallion on turf March 31.

◗ Scrap Iron ran second in last year’s Dwight D. Patterson Handicap and will try to go one spot better for owner Charles Garvey and trainer Robertino Diodoro. He steps up in class off three straight wins and is 2 for 4 on this turf course. Among his seven rivals are Silvanus, third in this race last year and returning to Turf Paradise after failing to threaten in four dirt races at Sunland Park, and J P Rocker, second the last time he ran on turf and second in a dirt sprint here April 4.