Inside Straight game in Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile

PHOENIX – Inside Straight was the proven class coming into Saturday’s $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile at Turf Paradise, having won the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap last spring. However, this was his first start since he refused to break in a New York-bred stakes at Belmont Park last summer, and he was moving to turf. That didn’t matter as the 5-year-old gelded son of Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver proved a game winner.

Inside Straight ($11), with blinkers added, showed speed to sit second just behind Way Striking, who set a solid pace, moved closer to that foe on the far turn, engaged that rival into the lane, got the better of him but then had to fight hard to fend off hard-trying 17-1 shot High Security, winning by a head under Glenn Corbett. High Security sat mid-pack in the mile turf event and finished well for second, while pacesetter Way Striking, the 2-1 favorite, ran third in the field of 10.

Owned by Randy Howg and trained by Robertino Diodoro, Inside Straight ran the distance in 1:36.63. The winner’s share of $44,175 pushes his earnings to $797,064 from eight wins in 23 starts. He is now 2-1-0 in three grass outings.

Comet Sixty Two takes Glendale Handicap

Comet Sixty Two ($10.60) returned to turf in the $30,000 Glendale Handicap and that did the trick as the 7-year-old daughter of Grade 1 grass winner Stroll bounced back for the victory.

Owned by Barro Racing LLC and trained by Dan McFarlane, Comet Sixty Two ran fifth in the Kachina on dirt here Dec. 23. But two starts back she was a good third in the Queen of the Green on grass, and four of her prior five wins had come on turf.

Ridden by Scott Stevens on Saturday, she bided her time early in fifth in this 1 1/16-mile grass event for distaffers as 9-5 favorite Brookys Star set a modest pace. Comet Sixty Two remained toward the back going to the far turn, came out to make her run in the lane, and closed strongly to just get up by a nose over Cleverly Beverly. That rival, coming off a fourth in the Queen of the Green, dogged Brookys Star from the start, took the lead into the lane, continued on gamely and just missed. McKenzie Honey, stepping up in class after a third in a $20,000 turf claiming race here on Dec. 12, stalked in third, got boxed in on the far turn, still had to wait for room into the lane and ran on smartly to finish just a neck back in third. Peppy Miller, the defending winner, rallied from well back to be fourth. Pacesetter Brookys Star, winner of the Queen of the Green, ended up fifth in the field of nine.

Comet Sixty Two ran the distance in 1:44.27. The winner’s share of $17,856 gives her earnings of $238,806 from 6 wins in 39 starts.