PHOENIX – Proven grass form may play a key role Friday at Turf Paradise as a pair of grass stakes showcase a number of runners who have yet to try the footing. Juan Bravo and Next Journey, winners on turf, head the $60,000 Startac, while Mimajoon and Opal Creek, both winners on grass, lead the $60,000 Princess of Palms. The Startac, for 3-year-olds, drew a field of nine and goes as race 8, while the Princess of Palms lured seven 3-year-old fillies and goes as race 5. Both are at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf. Juan Bravo, a gelded son of Verrazano, is owned by Charles Garvey and trained by Robertino Diodoro. He easily beat maidens on this course at this trip Nov. 22 and comes off a good second, well clear of the others, in an allowance spot on this course at this trip Jan. 17. :: Want the best bonus in racing? Get a $250 deposit match, $10 free bet, and free Formulator with DRF Bets. Code: WINNING Next Journey, a gelded son of Jimmy Creed owned by Jason Hall, Stephen Baker, and Shake and Bake Racing LLC and trained by Jonathan Wong, came out firing to win his debut on this course at this type of trip Jan. 24, biding his time early before powering home to win easily. Mongolian Memory has won two of his first three starts, though all that came sprinting on dirt so it’s a longer trip and new footing, but his sire is a full brother to all-time European great Frankel so turf is in the pedigree. Chrome King got his diploma on turf at Remington last fall and was third behind Juan Bravo in second on this turf at this trip Jan. 17. He last tried a dirt stakes at Sunland on Jan. 30 but was a non-factor eighth. He likely fits better here. Octavius Prime invades from Golden Gate where he did his best work on turf, including his lone win, lone second, and lone third. Princess of Palms Mimajoon, a 3-year-old daughter of Fed Biz owned by Scott Herbertson and trained by Jonathan Wong, got her diploma on Golden Gate turf Nov. 13. After that she won a stakes on Golden Gate’s synthetic Nov. 26 before fading badly to end up last of six in a Grade 2 on Santa Anita dirt Jan. 8. The return to turf and the drop surely help. Opal Creek, a daughter of Midshipman owned by Rodney Orr and trained by Charles Essex, hinted at ability with a couple decent efforts on Woodbine synthetic in the fall but came here Jan. 3, moved to turf, and rallied gamely to win. The filly she edged, Ropers N Wranglers, is a still a maiden but showed turf talent that day for owner/trainer Richard Rennie. Pumpkin Bread whipped maidens on dirt at Sunland on Feb. 8, her only start, but is by English Channel (grass champion, crack turf sire) out of a mare by Kitten’s Joy (grass champion, top turf sire) so she has every right to enjoy the turf for owner Aimee Rosa and trainer Bart Hone. Booze Runner found Southern California foes too much on turf in the fall but since romped in two dirt starts here this meet.