Fortified Effort draws clear in Gene Fleming Breeders' Derby

PHOENIX – Fortified Effort returned to his home base to face softer company and that did the trick as the 3-year-old gelded son of Ez Effort captured the $50,400 Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby at Turf Paradise Saturday. The Derby, for Arizona-bred 3-year-olds, was the highlight of Arizona-bred day at the Phoenix track, which featured three other stakes for the home product.

Fortified Effort ($4.80), who faded to 12th in the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby last time out, got back to form for owners J. Lloyd Yother, William Matthews, Marvin Fleming, and Kevin Eikleberry (also his trainer). Although the gelding got away slowly in the 1 1/16-mile main-track event, he was still able to establish a stalking position in third going into the backstretch under Ry Eikleberry, grab the lead into the lane, and edge away to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Zippy Groom stalked and ran on for second, while Oldtoytrain finished third in the field of six.

Fortified Effort ran the distance in 1:45.83. The winner’s share of $26,775 pushes his career bankroll to $174,173 from 5 wins in 11 starts.

In Saturday’s other stakes action:

► Bar Scene ($13.60) showed speed under Scott Stevens and went on to beat the boys in the $29,625 Lyman and Bradley Rollins Handicap at six furlongs for owner Triple AAA Ranch and trainer Lymon Perren, winning by a length. Jilas Miracle rallied from last to get second, while 1-5 favorite Royal Privacy dueled from the start with the eventual winner and tired late to end up third in the field of five. Bar Scene, a 5-year-old daughter of Rocky Bar, ran the distance in 1:09.64 in the race for 3-year-olds and up.

► Foggia ($2.40) ran fourth in her only prior turf start, but the class drop helped the 3-year-old daughter of Rocky Bar as she proved an easy winner of the $44,842 Joanne Dye Breeders’ Oaks. Owned by the Sawyer Cattle Company and trained by Dan McFarlane, she went right out to the lead in the 7 1/2-furlong turf event for 3-year-old fillies and never really had a nervous moment, opening up in the lane to win by 4 1/4 lengths under Francisco Arrieta. Myrcella chased the winner from the start, ending up second, while Shesaheatwave likewise chased the pace before ending up third in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies. Foggia ran the distance in 1:30.27.

► Sierrita ($8.80) had been primarily sprinting on dirt but moving to a route on turf didn’t bother the 5-year-old daughter of Top Hit in the least as she beat the boys to notch her first turf win in the $30,250 Dwight D. Patterson Handicap. Owned by Seven Arms Stable and trained by David Van Winkle, she bided her time early and rallied strongly while wide into the lane under Scott Stevens to win by a half-length. Silvanus, third in this last year and the 2-1 favorite, rallied just behind her while even wider to finish second. Ida Goodest stalked, took the lead into the lane, but couldn’t fend off the top two, finishing third in the field of seven. Sierrita ran the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.66.