PHOENIX – Turf Paradise’s marquee event, the $50,000 Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap, is the proverbial cherry on top of a five-stakes program Saturday that also features the $50,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap, $50,000 Turf Paradise Derby, $50,000 Arizona Oaks, and $50,000 Queen of the Green Handicap. The six-furlong Gold Cup goes as the finale on a nine-race card, drawing a competitive field of nine that’s headed by 124-pound highweight Redline, the streaking Coastal Jazz, and the dangerous invader Tapatio Leo. Redline, a 6-year-old gelding owned by Charles Garvey and trained by Robertino Diodoro, comes here on a roll. After an allowance win at Los Alamitos in the summer, he romped in two stakes here and is perfect in three local tries. He then ran a sharp second in a stakes at Sunland Park, beaten just a neck. He has the speed to utilize his rail draw. Orlando Mojica rides. Coastal Jazz (123 pounds) likewise comes here sharp. The 7-year-old gelding, owned by Rockingham Ranch and trained by Justin Evans has won three of his last four. The lone loss was a second to Redline in the Hank Mills Jr. here on Nov. 14. Glenn Corbett rides. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Tapatio Leo (122 pounds) is the X-factor. The 5-year-old gelding, owned by Griffin Stables LLC, Terry Lovingier, Amanda Navarro, Michael Ryan, and John Moroney and trained by Craig Dollase, has been knocking heads with toughies in Southern California and Oaklawn. He posted four straight wins from the summer of 2023 to February 2024. He was then dull in an Oaklawn allowance later that February before running a decent third in a stakes there last April. Tapatio Leo hasn’t been seen since, but he’s worked well and has done some of his best racing off the bench. Harry Hernandez rides. Other possible contenders include Prayer of Jabez, who comes off a strong allowance win here on Feb. 11, and Plane Talk, second to Prayer of Jabez in that aforementioned Feb. 11 race but a winner of his three prior outings here. Cotton Fitzsimmons Saline River and Kennebec, one-two finishers in the Watler R. Cluer here Feb. 12 and co-highweights at 122 pounds, head a field of eight in the Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap at a mile on turf. Saline River has won three of his last five, all on turf, including the Walter R. Cluer, and he thinks he owns this course, going 4 for 5. Kennebec likewise enters with nine straight top-three finishes. He, too, loves this course, with a 6-for-9 record. Sarwar (120 pounds) and Irish Prophet (118) invade from Southern California, where they’ve done some good work. Turf Paradise Derby Don’t Fly Stand By’s return to dirt might prove key as he faces eight 3-year-old rivals in the Turf Paradise Derby at 1 1/16 miles. After five straight strong dirt efforts, he tried a turf route stakes here on Feb. 19 and was a respectable third, but dirt may be his preferred footing. Bodi Zafa and Just Trust Me, one-two finishers of that turf stakes, return to dirt and have shown ability on this ground. Spenard was a big maiden winner on this main track on Jan. 16 but ran sixth when shipping for the Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 16. Returning to this track may be key for him Arizona Oaks Sayucan appears the one to beat as she leads a field of 10 in the Arizona Oaks at a mile for 3-year-old fillies. She posted a big win in a turf stakes here Feb. 20 but should have no issue with the return to dirt, having won twice on this main track in the fall. A Thousand Miles, second to Sayucan in that turf stakes, is likewise proven on dirt and ran second against the boys in a dirt route stakes at Emerald Downs last summer, while Polythene Pam invades from Southern California, where she’s run against some highly rated peers. Queen of the Green Flame McGoon is 3 for 3 here and justly carries high weight of 122 pounds against eight rivals in the Queen of the Green at a mile on turf. The 6-year-old mare spent most of her career in Southern California and has blossomed since coming here in the winter, winning all three starts on this course, including a Feb. 13 turf stakes. Big Hug (121 pounds) and Mucho Macho Girl (119) are dangerous Southern California raiders, while Jamies Inheritance (120) looks to turn the tables on Flame McGoon, having run third to her in that Feb. 13 stakes. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.