Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fall Sales Stakes tops Friday card

PHOENIX – After finding the going too tough in Southern California last summer and fall, Annie’s Boy returns Friday to Turf Paradise, where he got his career off to a promising start. Annie’s Boy heads a field of eight in the colt-and-gelding division of the $35,000 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fall Sales Stakes.

The $35,000 distaff division, which drew a field of six, is headed by Arizona Sun, a multiple stakes winner on this track in 2019.

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Both divisions are for 4-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs. The female division goes as race 3; the colt-and-gelding division as race 8.

Annie’s Boy, a 4-year-old gelded son of Lotsa Mischief owned by Michael Feigenbaum and trained by Rafael Barraza, started his career here in the fall of 2019 with two wins, including a stakes win. He was then fifth that December in the Lost in the Fog, the top juvenile stakes here.

Annie’s Boy was laid off until last June, and came back to romp in a stakes at Arapahoe Park. He then went to Southern California but was unable to threaten in four starts. On Friday, he makes his first start since Nov. 21. Daniel Vergara rides.

Go Admiral Go, a 4-year-old gelded son of Midshipman owned by Allen Poindexter and Kevin Eikleberry and trained by Eikleberry, has not raced since Oct. 10. He finished first against Iowa-bred $30,000 claiming company twice last summer and fall at Prairie Meadows, although he was disqualified from one of the victories for causing interference. Mckenzie King rides.

Other contenders include Fortified Effort, a 12-time winner and a multiple stakes winner on this track in 2019, and Arizona Jeremy, also a multiple stakes winner on this track in 2019.

*Arizona Sun, a 4-year-old daughter of Ministers Wild Cat owned by Randy Howg and trained by Robertino Diodoro, comes into the female division off a fourth Jan. 20 in a Turf Paradise allowance race won by Cashcheckorcharge, perhaps the top female sprinter on this circuit. In 2019, Arizona Sun won two stakes here for juveniles. Heribert Martinez keeps the call.

Her main threat may come from Nat Gio. Owned by Roys Mansur and trained by Ed Kereluk, the 5-year-old daughter of Gio Ponti ran third in that same Jan. 20 allowance race. Richard Lull rides.