Aventador should enjoy return to turf in Walter Cluer Memorial

PHOENIX – Grass horses occupy the spotlight at Turf Paradise Saturday, with 3-year-olds and up going in the $30,000 Walter R. Cluer Memorial Stakes (race 7), and fillies and mares in the $30,000 Queen of the Green (race 4). Both races are at a mile. The Cluer, named for the track’s founder, drew a field of 12, while the Queen of the Green attracted 11.

The Cluer pits local stalwart Aventador against the invading Hobbits Hero.

Aventador, owned by Mark Staudacher and trained by Kathy Schenk, is a 6-year-old gelded son of Zafeen who has had success on this course. He finished third in this race last year and later in the meet easily won the Turf Paradise Handicap and ran second in the Wildcat Handicap.

After five months on the bench, Aventador came back to be a rallying second in a starter allowance on Golden Gate’s synthetic main track Sept. 16, and he moves back to likely his best footing here. Scott Steven rides.

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Hobbits Hero, owned by the North American Thoroughbred Racing Company and trained by Sandi Gann, has won 10 of 28 starts, with nine of those victories coming on turf and seven at this mile trip. He makes his first start since May 14, when he ran fifth in the George Royal on a sloppy main track at Hastings. Glen Corbett rides.

Hip Ninety Three, owned by Brent Stapley, Linden Hatch and Delwyn Ellis and trained by F. C. Frazier, returns to defend her title in the Queen of the Green. The 5-year-old daughter of Harlington finished strongly to be second under the wire in this race last year, but was awarded the win when the stewards ruled that Round Rocks had impeded her.

Hip Ninety Three came back after over six months on the sidelines to win a tough optional claimer here Nov. 3. Andrew Ramgeet, her regular rider, stays aboard.

Cleverly Beverly, owned by Andy Spitalny and trained by J. J. Kruljac, rattled off three straight wins on this course last winter/spring before running fourth on turf at Lone Star May 7. After a freshening she came back here Oct. 23 to win again. Eight of her 11 wins have come on this course. Corbett stays aboard.

Comet Sixty Two ran second to Cleverly Beverly here Oct. 23 and came back to win handily here Nov. 3. Detail and Peppy Miller were second and third behind Hip Ninety Three here Nov. 3.