Key factors favor Restart

PHOENIX - Throw a dozen relatively inexperienced and unaccomplished 3-year-olds together, several of who are still maidens, and you have the makings of a real scramble. Do that at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf, a surface few in the field have even tried, and you have a real handicapping quandary. That's the situation in Saturday's $40,000 Arizona Stallion Stakes at Turf Paradise.

Favoritism may fall to Restart. First off, he has at least won a race, something four of his rivals have yet to accomplish. Second, he at least has some proven turf form.

A gelded son of Buck Strider, Restart made his first start on turf at this same distance against $16,000 claimers here March 3. He set the pace from his rail slot and stayed on well to be fourth. Vince Guerra has the call on Restart, who is owned by Sarival Farms and trained by Glen Wasson.

Assessing the chances of many of the others becomes an educated guess. Combo Royale, trained by Joe Toye, has three victories. He beat $16,000 claimers in a dirt sprint here Jan. 13, finished second in a similar spot here Feb. 13, and then was a nonthreatening fourth sprinting against tougher optional claimers here March 11. He tries turf and a longer trip for the first time, but being by a son of Danzig he has a right to handle this surface. Wilson Dieguez will ride.

Burn's Flyer didn't run badly in his only turf try. Trained by Larry Wells, Burn's Flyer ran sixth all the way around at 7 1/2 furlongs here March 3. In his last race, he finished fourth in a dirt route here March 18. He will get blinkers on Saturday.