Fortified Effort game in Arizona Breeders' Futurity

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Fortified Effort ($2.80) proved the patrons right as the heavy favorite captured the $48,000 Arizona Breeders’ Futurity (colt and gelding division) at Turf Paradise Saturday.

The 2-year-old gelded son of Ez Effort, owned in partnership by J. Lloyd Yother, William Matthews, Marvin Fleming, and trainer Kevin Eikleberry, sat fifth early under Ry Eikleberry in the six-furlong event for Arizona-bred juveniles, remained midpack while staying inside, shifted out for clear sailing into the lane, and rallied gamely to win by a length. Oldtoytrain stalked the pace, took the lead into the lane but couldn’t fend off the winner, finishing a clear second, while Beat the Heat ran on for third in the field of nine.

Fortified Effort ran the distance in 1:10.60 and the winner’s share of $25,167 gives him earnings of $127,238 from 4 wins in 7 starts.

Myrcella upsets Arizona Breeders’ Futurity filly division

After an 11 1/2-length maiden win at Los Alamitos, Myrcella invaded this track for the ATBA Sales Stakes on Nov. 4, but after pressing the pace tired to be third, well-beaten by Foggia and Littlesisterdon’tu. Well, the 2-year-old daughter of Tribal Rule turned the tables with a game victory over those two in the $48,000 filly division of the Arizona Breeders’ Futurity.

Myrcella ($16), owned by Regan Anderson and Molly Pearson and trained by Pearson, sat third early under Chad Lindsey in the six-furlong event for Arizona-bred juvenile fillies, was still third by midstretch and still well behind then-leader Foggia, the 3-10 favorite, but powered home in the final half-furlong to get up for the half-length score over that rival. Foggia, romping winner of her first two starts, dueled from the start with Littlesisterdon’tu, got the better of that foe into the lane, opened up as if going on to victory, but couldn’t fend off the winner. Littlesisterdon’tu finished third in the field of nine.

Myrcella ran the distance in 1:10.53, faster than the boys a couple of hours prior. The winner’s share of $25,167 gives her earnings of $54,041 from 2 wins in 6 starts.

Shrewd Move an easy winner in Cactus Wren

Shrewd Move ($2.60), heavily favored despite dueling and fading to fifth in the Luke Kruytbosch here Nov. 11, got back on track Saturday with a win in the $25,000 Cactus Wren.

Owned by Yeaman’s Racing Stables LLC and trained by Dan McFarlane, the 5-year-old gelded son of Kentucky Derby runner-up Closing Argument was an easy winner of the opening-day Bienvenidos here Oct. 14. In Saturday's Cactus Wren, Shrewd Move showed speed from his outside post to stalk the early pace of J P Rocker, assumed command in the 6 1/2-furlong event under Leslie Mawing on the far turn, and drew off to win comfortably by 4 1/4 lengths. Yo Y Me chased the pace in second, took a brief lead between horses turning for home as J P Rocker relented, but was no match for the winner, finishing second. Sedona Sunrise rallied for third in the field of seven.

Shrewd Move ran the distance in 1:15.89 and the winner’s share of $15,190 gives him a bankroll of $257,553 from 11 wins in 40 starts.