Harris Farms sends out Super Ability in Harris Farms Stakes

On Sunday, the Big Fresno Fair runs the $100,000 Harris Farms Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for California-bred 3-year-olds and up. Fresno is the closest track to the Harris Farms operation in Coalinga, Calif., and John Harris, owner of Harris Farms, is a major proponent of racing at Fresno.

Harris Farms and Iconic Thoroughbreds own Super Ability, one of six in the field for the Harris Farms Stakes. Super Ability is a 6-year-old Langfuhr gelding out of Super High, a multiple stakes winner on dirt and turf for Harris Farms.

Super Ability has won 4 of 9 starts, with three of those wins on turf. His other victory came last year in the $70,000 Grey Memo on the synthetic surface at Hollywood Park.

The Fresno main track is dirt, and Super Ability was second in a maiden sprint at Santa Anita in his lone dirt start.

Super Ability has been on or near the lead in most of his starts. Pacesetters won four of the seven sprints on Thursday’s opening-day card, and the track seemed to play more to speed as the day went on.

Super Ability is likely to be challenged for the lead Sunday by Marino’s Wild Cat.

KEY CONTENDERS

AIN’T NO OTHER (Last 3 Beyers: 91-91-77)

◗ He has four stakes wins in a race where none of his rivals have more than one stakes win.

◗ He’s been the runner-up in turf-sprint stakes in his last two starts.

◗ He has Hall of Fame connections with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Russell Baze.

SUPER ABILITY (Last 3 Beyers 83-90-83)

◗ He has set brisk fractions in turf routes in his last few races but might have to come from off the pace here.

◗ He should be legged up off the turf routes.

◗ Based in Southern California, he is making his Northern California debut, and his dam won a dirt stakes in her only Northern California start.

MARINO’S WILD CAT (Last 3 Beyers: 84-86-93)

◗ He is the only runner in the field with less than $100,000 in earnings, but he has won 4 of 8 starts.

◗ He set the pace going five furlongs on turf in the Jess Jackson at Santa Rosa in August.

◗ He has some fast three-furlong drills preparing for this and will be gunning early.

◗ His best race came in his only start on dirt, which came in an allowance win at his home track of Pleasanton this summer.