Marino's Wild Cat seeks a second Harris Farms win

As the Major League Baseball playoffs begin, trainer Cliff Delima is hoping the San Francisco Giants can keep their string of even-year World Series titles intact. The Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014 and are still alive in the 2016 playoffs.

Delima also is hoping his speedy Marino’s Wild Cat can keep his even-year mojo working on Saturday in the $100,000 Harris Farms Stakes at the Big Fresno Fair.

Marino’s Wild Cat won the Harris Farms Stakes in 2014, and on Saturday, he returns to Fresno for the first time since that victory to try to win the six-furlong sprint for a second time. He will have five rivals in the Harris Farms, which is for California-bred or -sired 3-year-olds and up.

Marino’s Wild Cat will make his first start since finishing fourth in a Golden Gate Fields allowance sprint on April 2. Delima said he came out of the race with a quarter crack and needed time off.

“He hasn’t run in a while, but he’s been working good,” Delima said.

The 7-year-old Marino’s Wild Cat has had seven works for this race, including a blistering five-furlong bullet drill in 57.80 seconds on Sept. 24 followed by a five-furlong work in 59.40 one week later.

Fitness also is a concern for Jimmy Bouncer and Well Measured, who both have had only one race this year.

Harris Farms Stakes (race 8)

Key Contenders

Marino’s Wild Cat, by Marino Marini

Last 3 Beyers: 80-85-87

◗ He went 3 for 5 last year, including a front-running victory in the Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate.

◗ He has made only two starts since April 2015.

Well Measured, by Benchmark

Last 3 Beyers: 98-91-58

◗ Ran big after almost a year off in a Del Mar allowance sprint in August, winning in a dead heat and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure. He could get a nice trip here if he’ll settle in for a stalking trip, as he did in that race.

Algenon, by Aragorn

Last 3 Beyers: 64-78-75

◗ Three-year-old has multiple stakes placings but no stakes victories.

◗ In his last two starts, both at Emerald Downs, he won an optional claimer for 3-year-olds and then finished sixth after a poor start in an optional claimer against older.

◗ It wouldn’t be surprising to see him far back early, and that may be the perfect spot here.