Love My Jimmy ($12.20) appears to have a new lease on life since coming to Turf Paradise. After romping over claimers here Jan. 29 and then over allowance foes here Feb. 13, both times leading all the way, he used his speed to beat the best sprinters on the grounds in Thursday’s $60,000 Phoenix Gold Cup. The Gold Cup headed five stakes at the Phoenix track. Owned by Rosette Ranch LLC and Chase Aidan Goodnight and trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tapiture shot out to the early lead in the six-furlong fixture under Karlo Lopez, set a sizzling half-mile split of 43.98 while holding a clear lead, kept that clear lead into the lane and held sway to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Truth Seeker, the defending champ, rallied smartly from well back for second with Tulane Tryst rallying for third. Kingdom Heart, the tepid 7-2 favorite, stalked before fading to 10th in the field of 12. Love My Jimmy ran the distance in 1:08.16. The winner’s share of $34,600 pushes his earnings to $261,909 from 12 wins in 30 starts. In other stakes action: * Fuerteventura ($4) invaded from the Midwest to capture the $60,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap over 9-10 favorite War At Sea. Owned by Robert La Penta and the estate of Brereton C. Jones and trained by Jonathan Thomas, the 5-year-old gelded son of Summer Front bided his time early under Kazushi Kimura in the 1 1/16-mile turf event as longshot Creative Bid and 9-1 shot Low Expectations dueled through solid splits, came with a smart run up the rail into the lane to challenge War At Sea to the inside, and gamely prevailed by a head. War At Sea finished far clear of Low Expectations, third in the field of seven. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Fuerteventura ran the distance in 1:40.77. The winner’s share of $36,000 pushes his earnings to $354,194 from six wins in 13 starts. * Sakura Blossom ($6.20) led a Southern California 1-2-3-4 finish as the 3-year-old daughter of champion juvenile male Classic Empire captured the $60,000 Arizona Oaks. Owned by California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC, Kevin O’Donnell, and Richard Pearson, the filly was last early in the tightly bunched field of sophomore fillies going a mile, moved closer to stalk the lead into the backstretch under Armando Ayuso, came with a game run up the rail into the lane, and gamely prevailed by a nose over Pink Whitney. Madison Rae was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third in the field of seven. Sakura Blossom ran the mile in 1:37.44 and the winner’s share of $36,000 pushes her bankroll to $83,640 from three wins in six starts. * E J Won the Cup ($2.20) invaded from Southern California to dominate the $60,000 Turf Paradise Derby. Owned by Superfecta King Stable and trained by Doug O’Neill, the 3-year-old son of Omaha Beach came off a highly rated maiden win at Santa Anita last month. He went right to the lead under Ayuso, took pressure to the top of the lane from Meeking, dispatched with that foe, and opened up in the final furlong to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Last Call London, another Southern California rallied to pose a big threat into the lane but couldn’t stay with the winner, ending up second just ahead of longshot Norwegian Callum in third in the field of seven. E J Won the Cup got the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.80 and earned $36,000 to push his bankroll to $116,440 from two wins in eight starts. * Yankee Dollar ($5.40) won a dirt stakes here Feb. 19 and showed she might actually be better on turf as the 5-year-old mare captured the $60,000 Queen of the Green. Owned by Crossed Sabres Farm LLC and trained by Marcus Vitali, the daughter of California Chrome stalked in third under Lopez, bided her time while saving ground, angled out into the lane, and finished smartly to reel in pacesetter Pepper Mill and go on to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Pepper Mill, who set the pace, kept on for second well clear of Delusively in third. Ascendancy, the 7-5 favorite, was well back early before making some modest headway to end up fifth in the field of 10. Yankee Dollar ran the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:42.31. The winner’s share of $35.400 gives her earnings of $240,262 from eight wins in 19 starts. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.