Parx Racing: Turf sprint could turn into a mad scramble

Somewhere within their three most recent races, seven of the nine fillies and mares scheduled to sprint five furlongs on grass in Monday’s $50,000 feature at Parx Racing have a top Beyer Speed Figure of between 75 and 81. In short, they’re hard to separate.

So maybe in this third-level optional $40,000 claimer, which goes as race 9, it’s better to focus on one of the other two remaining entrants. Do Somethin was sixth in her only previous try on turf this past June, but her two races since shipping east from California stamp her a serious contender in this spot.

The 3-year-old Do Somethin is 2 for 2 since moving into Tony Dutrow’s barn. She cleared her first two allowance conditions leading wire to wire in consecutive starts at Parx and Delaware Park. Her Beyers of 82 and 85 are the best in Monday’s field and nearly right on the mark with the par of 83 for this class level at Parx.

In addition, Dutrow shows a solid 6 for 13 (46 percent) record with sprinters switching from dirt to turf with a $3.92 return on investment while returning to the races in less than 30 days.

Dutrow will also saddle Madrilena, who runs uncoupled from Do Somethin. The 5-year-old Madrilena has 2 firsts and 1 second in 3 starts this season, including a nose victory in a second-level optional $32,000 claimer on the turf at Monmouth Park in June.

Among those with more turf experience than Do Somethin, the 8-year-old mare Suzee Sunrise has been the most consistent runner. She ran poorly when ambitiously spotted in the $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap last time out, but won all three of her starts prior to that, displaying versatility by handling mud, a fast track, and turf. Her most recent win came at the same level as Monday’s race on July 21.

Ruttzy Tuttzy merits consideration after rallying to finish third, beaten a neck, in her turf debut in a stakes restricted to Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National on Sept. 14. A 3-year-old trained by Todd Beattie, Ruttzy Tuttzy won three of her previous four races, including a pair of five-furlong dirt sprints.

Ms. Cruisen’ is 0 for 3 on the grass, but missed by a neck going 7 1/2 furlongs in June and came from far back to pass two horses and gain six lengths in the stretch of the Turf Amazon. The 79 Beyer she earned that day was a career-best on turf.