Primo Touch no cinch on dirt in Turf Paradise Derby

PHOENIX – The national spotlight is very much focused on the 3-year-old picture for both sexes. It’s no different at Turf Paradise on Saturday as a highly competitive group of 3-year-old males go in the $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby, while Gorgeous Ginny looms a heavy favorite in the $30,000 Arizona Oaks. Both the derby (race 8), at 1 1/16 miles, and the Oaks (race 7), at a mile, have 10 entered.

These two races likely won’t impact the first Friday and first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, but success here could reap other rewards as a host of races in these divisions come up for grabs in the coming months.

A key question in the derby is whether Primo Touch can take his dazzling turf form to dirt. Owned by Dino Bates and trained by Dan McFarlane, Primo Touch has won his last three starts on turf, including a 12 1/4-length romp in the Startac Stakes Jan. 20 in his last start. Prior to that race, he was fourth in the Lost in the Fog going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track here on Dec. 30. He’s finished third in four of his five dirt starts.

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Fortified Effort, a son of Ez Effort trained by Kevin Eikleberry, is a proven commodity on dirt, having won 4 of 8 on the surface. He won three straight sprints on this main track in the fall, including a pair of stakes. His most recent effort was a third-place finish in the one-mile Riley Allison Stakes at Sunland Park on Jan. 28.

Whatwasithinking, a Frank Lucarelli-trained son of Violence, has won his first two starts, including easily taking an optional-claiming sprint here on Jan. 29. Trainer Robertino Diodoro sent Playoff Bound out to a romping victory over maidens on turf here on Jan. 30. If Playoff Bound is able to transfer that form to dirt, he could be the spoiler.

Gorgeous Ginny the one to beat in Oaks

Gorgeous Ginny, a daughter of Take Charge Indy owned by Randy Howg and trained by Robertino Diodoro, looms an overwhelming favorite in the Oaks. She romped by seven lengths in the Arizona Juvenile Fillies Stakes here on Dec. 30, then led all the way to easily win the Jeff and Jack Coady Sr. on turf here Jan. 21 as the 1-9 favorite. She appears better on dirt.

I’m the Queen kept to her task well to be second to Gorgeous Ginny in the Coady Stakes. Prior to that, she romped to a 10-length debut victory on dirt Dec. 23.