Turf Paradise: ATBA Sales Stakes topped by Son of a Pistola, My Fine Lady

The ATBA Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise on Saturday gives Son of a Pistola a chance in the male division to validate his monster trial win here Oct. 5, while My Fine Lady looks to parlay her huge Oct. 5 maiden win into a stakes victory as she leads the filly division. The $35,000 races, both at six furlongs, are for 2-year-olds who were consigned to the 2012 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s fall yearling sales.

The filly division goes as race 7, and the male division race 8. The filly division drew a field of eight, while the male division lured 12.

Son of a Pistola, owned by Anna Baker and trained by Kevin Lewis, was second against maidens at Albuquerque on Sept. 2. In his trial for this race, he pressed the pace under Daniel Vergara, took command into the lane, and drew off to romp by 5 1/2 lengths for a 62 Beyer Speed Figure. Vergara will be aboard again Saturday.

Deadly Black Eagle, Private Money Game, and Deliver the Goods, the top-three finishers separated by a length in their trial for this race, loom his main rivals. Deadly Black Eagle, trained by Dan McFarlane, easily beat winners at Canterbury on Aug. 30 before returning here for that Oct. 5 win as the 4-5 favorite. Jake Barton, aboard for the trial win, rides again.

In the filly division, My Fine Lady would be hard to beat with a repeat of her last race. Owned and trained by Doug Oliver, she ran second in her debut here April 19 and eighth in the ATBA Spring Sales Stakes here May 7. She was gone almost five months before resurfacing at Canterbury Park to run fourth Aug. 24 against maidens and third Sept. 7.

My Fine Lady added blinkers for a maiden-claiming race here Oct. 5 and looked like a new horse. She led wire to wire, winning by 8 1/4 lengths for a 59 Beyer Speed Figure. She lands the rail Saturday with Scotts Stevens named to ride.

Her main rival figures to be Lazy Daisy May. Trained by Molly Pearson, she ran second in her debut here April 19 before winning the ATBA Spring Sales Stakes by a nose. She has two recent bullet works for her first start since. Giovanni Franco rides.