Storm Power on a roll entering Hank Mills Sr.

PHOENIX – Storm Power looks to cement his status as the top older horse on the grounds at Turf Paradise in the $35,000 Hank Mills Sr. Handicap Saturday. The mile main-track event drew a field of seven, with Storm Power being the 123-pound highweight.

Also on the Saturday card is the $35,000 Kachina Handicap. The mile main-track event for fillies and mares drew a field of seven, headed by Lady Rosberg, Ricspretentiousgal and Rock and Glory, the top-three finishers from Queen of the Green on grass here last month.

Storm Power, owned by the Mercedes Stables LLC and trained by Robertino Diodoro, started his career in Southern California but has come into his own here. The 4-year-old gelding easily won the Bienvenidos, a dirt sprint, on Oct. 18 here. Moved to turf and a route in the Walter R. Cluer Memorial Nov. 29, he stalked the pace and drew away to win comfortably under Geovanni Franco, who rides again on Saturday.

Balooga Bull figures to enjoy the return to dirt in the Hank Mills Sr. Trained by Ardell Sayler, Balooga Bull was a multiple stakes winner on dirt at Assiniboia Downs in Canada before coming here. He chased the pace before finishing fifth in the Cluer, five lengths behind Storm Power. That was his first start here and his first on turf as well as his first race in 2 1/2 months.

Topping the Kachina is Lady Rosberg, who is owned by Karl Krieg and trained by Valorie Lund. She won the Queen of the Green on turf here Nov. 29, finishing a half-length ahead of Ricspretentiousgal and another half-length ahead of Rock and Glory.

Also a threat in the Kachina is Maker Or Breaker, who after being no factor in the Queen of the Green returns to her preferred surface.

Lady Rosberg isn’t just a turf specialist. In her only two starts on this main track, she won by 13 1/2 lengths last Dec. 31 and by 3 3/4 lengths last month in her first start in nine months.

Ricspretentiousgal, trained by Diodoro, was the 2-1 favorite in the Queen of the Green. That was her second start after seven months off, so she could improve on Saturday.

HANK MILLS SR. (race 7)

KEY CONTENDERS

Storm Power (Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-74)

◗ He worked four furlongs in 45.80 here Dec. 14, the best of 19 at that distance that day.

◗ He has shown he can handle any surface, and has shown versatility in running style, having pressed the pace as well as coming from well of the pace.

◗ Diodoro continues his sizzling meeting (37 percent winners) and Franco has been his No. 1 rider. The two have won at a 33 percent rate together the past 23 months.

Balooga Bull (Last 3 Beyers: 79-92-92)

◗ He flashed considerable talent in Canada, winning 16 of 21 races on dirt, including a number of stakes, both sprinting and routing.

◗ He showed there are seemingly no ill effects from that turf try in the Cluer, as he came back to post a bullet five-furlong work of 58 seconds here Dec. 12.

Az Ridge (Last 3 Beyers: 83-94-96)

◗ He easily captured this race last year.

◗ He came here after some good work at Canterbury Downs and then a layoff, finishing fourth to Storm Power in the Cluer on turf here Nov. 29.

KACHINA (race 4)

KEY CONTENDERS

Lady Rosberg (Last 3 Beyers: 82-77-73)

◗ She possesses the positional speed to be in the hunt from the start, which may translate to stalking Maker Or Breaker here.

◗ She has blossomed since adding blinkers last fall, with four wins and one second.

Ricspretentiousgal (Last 3 Beyers: 81-80-75)

◗ She is 4 for 7 on turf but has won on dirt as well.

◗ She has tactical speed to stay near Lady Rosberg.

Maker Or Breaker (Last 3 Beyers: 59-86-91)

◗ She was seventh in the Queen of the Green, but that was her second start on turf and she finished 10th the other time, so that’s not her game.

◗ She’s 2 for 2 on this main track, having easily won the Princess of Palms Oct. 25 and Phoenix Nov. 15. Both were sprints but she’s 2 for 3 at this mile distance.

◗ She posted a bullet five-furlong work in 58.20 seconds here Dec. 14.