Short-priced favorites in stakes triple-header

PHOENIX – A stakes triple-header highlights the Saturday card at Turf Paradise as the Phoenix track presents the $30,000 Arizona Breeders’ Futurity divisions (one for males, one for fillies) and the $25,000 Cactus Wren.

The Arizona Breeders’ Futurity divisions, both at six furlongs for Arizona-bred 2-year-olds, figure to be dominated by heavy favorites. The males’ division (race 5) drew nine, headed by Fortified Effort, while the fillies’ division (race 8) also lured nine, led by Foggia. The Cactus Wren (race 6), at 6 1/2 furlongs, drew eight, including some of the top sprinters on the grounds.

Fortified Effort, a gelded son of Ez Effort owned by J. Lloyd Yother, Kevin Eikleberry, William Matthews, and Marvin Fleming and trained by Eikleberry, comes off two big wins here. He easily won an allowance sprint Oct. 16, then stalked, took over, and drew off to easily capture the ATBA Sales Stakes on Nov. 4.

Oh Brother Jack, second, beaten four lengths, in the ATBA Sales Stakes, gives it another go. The gelded son of Allover, owned by Top Hat Thoroughbreds and trained by Dan McFarlane, dueled that day before being overwhelmed in the lane by Fortified Effort. He romped by 7 1/4 lengths in his prior start here Oct. 16.

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◗ Foggia, a daughter of Rocky Bar owned by the Sawyer Cattle Co. and trained by McFarlane, easily captured her first two starts, both over this track, including a 3 1/2-length victory in the ATBA Sales Stakes on Nov. 4, when she defeated a number of her Saturday rivals. She has loads of speed and has yet to trail a horse at any margin call in her first two starts.

Littlesisterdon’tu, a daughter of Top Hit owned by Pink Cloud Racing and trained by Wade Rarick, ran second in the ATBA Sales Stakes but could improve since that was not only her first start here but her first race since her debut win July 16 at Canterbury Park.

Myrcella, a daughter of Tribal Rule owned by Regan Anderson and Molly Pearson and trained by Pearson, ran third in the ATBA Sales Stakes. That was her first start here after an 11 1/2-length romp over maidens Sept. 15 at Los Alamitos.

◗ Shrewd Move looks to bounce back in the Cactus Wren after finishing fifth as the 3-5 favorite in the Luke Kruytbosch here Nov. 14. Owned by Yeamans Racing Stables LLC and trained by McFarlane, the 5-year-old gelded son of Closing Argument was a smashing winner of the Bienvenidos here on opening day, Oct. 14.

In the Kruytbosch, however, Shrewd Move dueled through sizzling splits and paid the price in the lane. He’s worked superbly since.

His main rivals figure to be Rocked Twice, winner of this race in 2015 and fourth last year; Yo Y Me, 5 for 7 here and returning from a trip to Arapahoe Park to win the Colorado Derby in July; Sedona Sunrise, a winner of two straight claiming races at this meet after a layoff; J P Rocker, claimed off a sharp second on turf here Nov. 20 and fifth in this race last year; and Coolidge, fourth in this race last year and coming off a fourth in a stakes at Century Downs.