Empire Knight on a roll for Walter Cluer Memorial

PHOENIX – A couple of very tough grass stakes highlight the Saturday card at Turf Paradise. Males go at it in the $30,000 Walter R. Cluer Memorial, a race named for the track’s founder, while distaffers go in the $30,000 Queen of the Green.

Both races are at a mile. The Cluer, race 7, drew a field of 12, while the Queen of the Green, race 4, lured 11.

Empire Knight, third last year, may be the one to beat this year in the Cluer. Owned by Barro Racing LLC and trained by O.A. Martinez Jr., Empire Knight has won three of his last four, with the lone loss being a second, beaten a neck, on dirt at Canterbury Park on Sept. 9. He beat a number of his Saturday foes while winning an optional claimer here Oct. 22, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 90. He was claimed that day by Martinez.

Back to face Empire Knight on Saturday are Silvanus and Ride Hard Kowboy, second and third in that Oct. 22 race. Ride Hard Kowboy ran second in this race last year.

Empire Knight must also deal with Blue Bomber, a two-time stakes winner on this course last season, and the top three finishers from a strong optional-claiming race here Nov. 6: Charlie Again, Botch, and Avendator.

Queen of the Green

Eyesadreamin is in peak form for the Queen of the Green.

Owned by Double Kee LLC and trained by Bobbie Grissom, the 3-year-old Eyesadreamin came back after three months off to easily win an allowance race on this course Oct. 23, then backed it up by easily winning the Chandler for 3-year-old fillies here Nov. 6.

Eyesadreamin will be challenged by Hip Ninety Three, the winner of this race last year and most recently fifth at Canterbury on Sept. 3; Peppy Miller, a stakes winner on this course last winter; Ronda Rocks and Miz Strawberry Dee, the one-two finishers in a strong optional claimer on this course Nov. 5; and French Alps, a California invader who makes her first start since winning on the Del Mar turf Aug. 19.