Masochistic tries to turn back the clock in Harris Farms Stakes

There are plenty of storylines in Saturday’s $100,000 Harris Farms Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for California-bred 3-year-olds and up at the Big Fresno Fair.

Perhaps the most important from a betting concern is whether Masochistic can regain the form that made him a Grade 1 winner earlier in his career.

Masochistic won the Grade 1 Triple Bend at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 Kona Gold there in 2015, and the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar in 2016. He finished second in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (disqualified from the purse money because of a medication violation) and 2017 Triple Bend.

But in his last two starts, Masochistic, now 8, flashed speed and tired badly against horses he would have laughed at a couple years ago, finishing fifth in the California Cup Sprint and eighth in the Sensational Star, both at Santa Anita.

Since the March 11 Sensational Star he has been transferred from Bob Baffert to Kristin Mulhall, and he shows a steady series of works.

If Masochistic fails to regain his form, the question in the Harris Farms becomes can the 4-year-old filly Isa Firecracker beat males?

Iza Firecracker scored a front-running victory in a second-level optional claimer Aug. 31 on the Golden Gate Tapeta, her first start in 10 months. Trainer Jamey Thomas said earlier in the week he is still deciding whether to run Iza Firecracker in the Harris Farms or keep her with females and wait for next Saturday’s California Distaff at five furlongs on the turf at Santa Anita.

“There’s not a whole lot of races for her,” he said. “She’s doing well . . . but running against boys is a whole different ballgame.”

The 3-year-old Fashionably Fast will try to take the Harris Farms Stakes trophy back to Harris Farms, which owns him in partnership. He comes off a front-running second against older horses in a one-mile optional claimer for statebreds at Del Mar. Earlier in the year, he won a Santa Anita maiden sprint and finished fourth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, in the seven-furlong Real Good Deal at Del Mar. Both races were for statebreds.

Trainer Bob Hess Sr. sends out stakes-winning 3-year-old Intimidate for his first start in nearly eight months. Intimidate won the one-mile King Glorious at Los Alamitos as a 2-year-old and set the pace before finishing third in the California Derby at Golden Gate in January.

“He’s training well, and he runs well fresh,” Hess said. “He’s worked six furlongs twice and galloped out strong.”

Key contenders

Masochistic, by Sought After

Last 3 Beyers: 52-76-70

◗ He added blinkers for his last race but takes them off here.

Isa Firecracker, by Heatseeker

Last 3 Beyers: 83-77-72

◗ She won the Golden Gate Debutante going six furlongs on Tapeta at 2.

Fashionably Fast, by Lucky Pulpit

Last 3 Beyers: 88-85-84

◗ May use stalking tactics as he shortens in distance and breaks from the outside post.