Layoff no problem for Chief Cicatriz in Hank Mills Sr. Stakes
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Chief Cicatriz had no trouble shaking off the rust as he easily captured Saturday’s $30,000 Hank Mills Sr. Stakes at Turf Paradise, his first start in over nine months.
Owned by Roy Gene Evans and trained by Shawn Davis, Chief Cicatriz ($5.40), a 5-year-old gelded son of Munnings, broke sharply from his rail slot in the 5 1/2-furlong event under Andrew Ramgeet to go right to the lead, took pressure early from Upper Mesa Falls and Shrewd Move, saw the former fall away on the turn but was still dogged by Shrewd Move through a sizzling half in 43.63 seconds before opening up in the lane to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
Shrewd Move, back to sprinting after fading to fifth in the one-mile Cave Creek here on Dec. 26, stayed on for second. Redneck Humor, coming off a second and third in sprint stakes in New Mexico, stumbled at the start to get away poorly, sat last to the far turn before rallying for third in the field of eight.
Chief Cicatriz ran the distance in 1:01.69. The winner’s share of $18,042 gives him earnings of $165,686 from 6 wins in 8 starts. This sets him up for defense of his Phoenix Gold Cup title. That six-furlong race, the marquee event of this meet, is Feb. 10.
Fight to Glory romps in Sun Devil Sprint
Fight to Glory ($2.80) returned to sprinting and confirmed she’s the top distaff sprinter on the grounds as she easily captured Saturday’s $25,000 Sun Devil Sprint.
Owned by Charles Garvey and trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 4-year-old daughter of American Lion ran third in the six-furlong Princess of Palms here on Oct. 21 then came back to win the City of Phoenix at the same distance on Nov. 11. She tried a mile in the Dec. 23 Kachina Stakes and was a good second, but sprinting is her game. In Saturday's 5 1/2-furlong event for distaffers, she dueled early with longshot Unpaid Secretary through fast splits, was confronted by Erratic Storm going into the far turn, dispatched with that foe into the lane and opened up to win easily by 6 1/4 lengths under Daniel Vergara.
Erratic Storm, fourth in both the City of Phoenix and Kachina, pressed the pace from the start, kept to her task, but was no match for the winner while finishing second. Little Dume, returning here after finishing eighth in a stakes at Sunland Park Dec. 31, lagged back and rallied wide for third. B C Z Middleton, who beat Fight to Glory in the Princess of Palms and was then second to that foe in the Phoenix, didn’t post her customary good outing as she sat back early after a slow start, made a mild move into the lane before flattening out to finish fifth in the field of seven.
Fight to Glory ran the distance in 1:02.94. The winner’s share of $15,190 pushes her earnings to $91,297 from 5 wins in 11 starts.
Primo Touch dominant in Startac Stakes
Primo Touch returned to turf and returning to his winning ways as the 3-year-old gelded son of Midas Touch dominated the $25,000 Startac Stakes.
After easily winning two straight on this course in the fall, Primo Touch ($3.40) ran fourth in the Lost in the Fog Juvenile on dirt here Dec. 30. Owned by Dino Bates and trained by Dan McFarlane, he moved back to turf for this about 7 1/2-furlong event, and, under Glenn Corbett, sat third early while pulling a bit, took command going to the far turn, and then blew the race wide open, drawing away to win by 12 1/4 lengths.
Bocephus, a maiden who had shown talent when finishing second in the Lost in the Fog was trying grass for the first time in the Startac, his fourth start. Last early, he ran on for second, though he was never a threat to the winner. Oh Brother Jack, second in his only prior turf try and fifth in the Lost in the Fog, finished third. Shane Doan, smart winner of the Lost in the Fog and trying turf for the first time, pressed the early pace before finishing fourth in the field reduced to six after a couple of scratches.
Primo Touch ran the distance in 1:30.53. The winner’s share of $15,345 gives him earnings of $48,427 from 3 wins (all on turf) in 10 starts overall.
