Frisco Belle looks tough to get past

PHOENIX - Frisco Belle invades from California for Saturday's $35,000 Chandler Handicap Saturday at Turf Paradise. A field of six 3-year-old fillies is entered for the 7 1/2-furlong turf event, but on paper it looks like Frisco Belle's race to lose.

Trained by Greg Gilchrist, Frisco Belle comes off a strong win in the one-mile Palo Alto Handicap at Bay Meadows Oct. 11. That race was on dirt, but before that she ran second in the Carmel Handicap on the Bay Meadows grass and won a $62,500 claimer routing on the turf at Del Mar.

Frisco Belle has performed well at Bay Meadows, Pleasanton, and Del Mar, so there is no reason to think she can't bring her game to Phoenix. She carries high weight of 122 pounds and Joey Castro.

Frisco Belle is giving six pounds to two other fillies with credentials of their own.

Silk N Diamonds, trained by Sarina Obergfell, comes off a game win in an optional $25,000 claimer at Turf Paradise Oct. 20. She has not raced on turf, but being by Half Term, a son of Mr. Prospector, she should handle the surface. She will be ridden by Glen Corbett.

Himalayan comes off a fourth-place effort in that Oct. 20 optional claimer behind two foes she will meet on Saturday, Silk N Diamonds and Arch Lady, and she may appreciate the move to turf more than the other two. She has run on turf twice, and was a strong third in the La Habra at Santa Anita in February and fourth in the Manhattan Beach at Hollywood in June. She has not been as sharp since but the surface switch may snap her to life for trainer Kevin Eikleberry. Miguel Hernandez rides.