Tactical Rocket, Highway Boss favored in stakes divisions

The local product gets the spotlight at Turf Paradise on Sunday with two divisions of the $35,000 ATBA Fall Sales Stakes. Both six-furlong events are for 2-year-old Arizona-breds who were consigned to the 2013 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association fall sale. The fillies’ division goes as race 7; the males’ division is race 8. Both drew fields of 11.

Tactical Rocket, owned by Dino and Josephine Bates and trained by Dan McFarlane, is one of just five winners among the 11 in the fillies’ division. She ran third in the ATBA Spring Sales Stakes here May 4. She returns to this track after a smart win over maidens at Canterbury Park on July 19.

Tactical Rocket’s main opposition may come from Myrna Lou and R Sweet Addiction. Myrna Lou, trained by Molly Pearson, is the only two-time winner in this field. She ran sixth in the ATBA Spring Stakes but whipped maidens at Santa Anita on June 8 and beat winners at Del Mar on Aug. 6.

Myrna Lou comes off a sharp second, beaten a neck as the 7-5 favorite, in a $32,000 claimer at Los Alamitos on Sept. 19. She finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of R Sweet Addiction.

R Sweet Addiction, trained by Doug Oliver, won her debut here April 16 before finishing eighth in the ATBA Spring Sales Stakes. She didn’t race again until Sept. 19 at Los Alamitos, where she set the pace before finishing third.

In the division for colts and geldings, Highway Boss stands out. He and Naomi’s Boss are the only two in the race to have won. Highway Boss, owned by Bar Diamond Ranch and Ken Fishbein and trained by Pearson, won a maiden race at Santa Anita on June 6 and a stakes at Pleasanton on July 6. That was enough to earn a shot at the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar on Aug. 3, and he was a creditable fourth.

Highway Boss failed to threaten while routing in a pair of turf stakes afterward, but the drop in class and the move back to dirt and sprinting may be key. Kelly Bridges rides Highway Boss.

Naomi’s Gift, also trained by Pearson, beat maidens at Los Alamitos on July 11 and was third in a Santa Rosa stakes Aug. 10. He stumbled badly at the start of a race at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 and lost his rider.

FILLIES’ DIVISION (RACE 7)

KEY CONTENDERS

TACTICAL ROCKET (Last 3 Beyers: 71-54-41)

◗ She makes her first start in almost four months but ran well here in the spring.

◗ She has the speed to be forwardly placed but came from just off the pace in her maiden win at Canterbury.

◗ Wilson Dieguez, aboard for all four of her starts, stays put.

MYRNA LOU (Last 3 Beyers: 53-49-63)

◗ She has shown versatility, with her maiden win coming in wire-to-wire fashion and also having run well from a stalking position.

◗ She is the only one in the field to have beaten winners.

MALES’ DIVISION (RACE 8)

KEY CONTENDERS

HIGHWAY BOSS (Last 3 Beyers: 59-73-69)

◗ His two victories came on dirt.

◗ He signaled his readiness with a pair of sharp local works.

NAOMI’S GIFT (Last 3 Beyers: 45-36-25)

◗ He has worked three times over this track since losing his rider in his last race.

◗ He has the tactical speed to get a good stalking trip.