PHOENIX, Ariz. – Truth Seeker ($7.40) led a blow struck by the local contingent, which filled the trifecta, as the 7-year-old gelded son of Into Mischief finished with a flourish to capture Turf Paradise’s marquee event Saturday, the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup. Owned by Hole-In-One Racing Stables and trained by Rafael Barraza, Truth Seeker was well back early in the six-furlong event for 4-year-olds and up. He remained well back to the far turn under Aldo Arboleda, swung very wide into the lane, and finished strongly to overwhelm his rivals, grabbing the lead inside the furlong marker and drawing clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Tiger Dad, the defending champ, stalked, loomed, and stayed on for second, well clear of third finisher Jazz Hands. Radical Right, the 8-5 favorite who invaded from Southern California where he faced graded stakes foes, sat midpack and plugged along for fourth in the field of 11, though he was never a threat. There was a key scratch, as Southern California raider Howbeit, another who had recently faced graded stakes foes at Santa Anita, came out. Final time for the six furlongs was a sizzling 1:07.96. Cotton Fitzsimmons The presence of class-heavy Southern California raider Smooth Like Strait, who’d been knocking heads with the best middle-distance turf horses in the land the past couple seasons, didn’t matter in the $100,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons as local Zestful ($37) posted a 17-1 upset in the 1 1/16-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up. Under Isaias Enriquez, Zestful sat midpack in the field of 12 as Bigfoot City ran off to a big early lead. Zestful steadily advanced, came with his run into the lane, had to check in midstretch but quickly recovered, ran down Bigfoot City, and edged past in the final strides to win by a neck. Bigfoot City was a game second, finishing a neck ahead of Sonny Smack. Smooth Like Strait, the overwhelming 1-2 favorite, stalked the early pace, loomed a big threat into the lane, but flattened out to end up fourth. :: Bet the races on DRF Bets! Sign up with code WINNING to get a $250 Deposit Match, $10 Free Bet, and FREE DRF Formulator.  Owned by Stable HMA and trained by Justin Evans, Zestful, an 8-year-old gelded son of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, ran the distance in 1:41.91, coincidentally the identical time posted by 4-year-old filly Miss Hard Knocks in winning the Queen of the Green. * American Blaze ($18.20) handled the return to dirt well as he rallied to capture the $75,000 Turf Paradise Derby. Back to dirt after finishing sixth on Turfway Park synthetic on Feb. 10, the 3-year-old son of American Freedom, owned by Terry Hamilton and Murray House and trained by Clay Brinson, sat midpack in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds, launched a wide rally into the lane, and continued on resolutely under Karlo Lopez to win by a length. Loudmouthsoup stalked, moved to the lead into the lane, but then couldn’t fend off the eventual winner, ending up a clear second ahead of I Am Freaky Fast. Tiz Tok, the 6-5 favorite, stalked, loomed a threat into the lane, but flattened out to end up fourth in the field of 12 3-year-old males. * Una Palabra ($12.60) gamely captured the $75,000 Arizona Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the main track. Owned by Coal Creek Farm and trained by Vann Belvoir, she sat just off the early pace under Harry Hernandez, challenged for the lead into the lane and gamely prevailed by a neck over Fayette Fox. Fayette Fox sat last early, steadily advanced, and came with a smart run to get second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of even-money favorite Beyond Awesome, who set the pace before finishing third in the field of eight. * Miss Hard Knocks ($11.60) finished strongly to easily capture the $60,000 Queen of the Green in a mild upset. Under Alyssa Morales, the 4-year-old daughter of Mr. Speaker owned by Jeremy Ramsland and trained by Miguel Hernandez lagged back, surged into the lane, opened up a big lead, and held well. Lady Commissioner rallied from last to get second in the 1 1/16-mile turf event for older fillies and mares, while heavy 3-5 favorite Yankee Dollar was on the pace from the start before tiring a bit in the lane to end up third in the field of eight. Time for the distance was a strong 1:41.91, the same as males in the Cotton Fitzsimmons a couple hours later. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.