Turf Paradise: Camp Victory invades for Cluer Memorial

On paper, Southern California invader Camp Victory towers over his seven rivals in Saturday’s $35,000 Walter R. Cluer Memorial at Turf Paradise. And that’s the way it figures to play out on the track as well, as the Grade 1 winner looms a heavy favorite in the one-mile grass event.

Also on Saturday’s card is the $35,000 Queen of the Green, the filly-and-mare counterpart, also at a mile on turf. It drew a competitive field of six.

Camp Victory, winner of the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap at Betfair at Hollywood Park in June 2012, hasn’t won since and may not be that horse any longer, but the 6-year-old gelding still appears to hold the aces. He was a sharp third in a one-mile turf race at Del Mar on Aug. 17. Freshened, he came back for $50,000 at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 and, as the 7-10 favorite, pressed the pace before finishing fourth.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro plunked down that serious money (along with Charles Garvey and TG Racing LLC) to claim Camp Victory and immediately targeted this race. The horse showed his readiness with a bullet four-furlong work here Sunday in 46.80 seconds. Jorge Carreno rides.

Another West Coast raider looms as the main danger. Leaving New York, owned by Sheehy LLC and trained by Carl O’Callaghan, hasn’t run this year but remains dangerous despite the layoff. He’s won two of four turf starts, including his last, an easy win at Hollywood Park on Dec. 14. He’s worked in solid fashion for this. Joe Steiner rides.

The best local hope may be Flexiplus. Owned by Martin Yeroshack and trained by Rob Atras, Flexiplus is a stakes winner and stakes placed on this course, though he’s yet to beat a horse like Camp Victory. Adolfo Morales rides.

Justcallheraggie might be the one to beat in the Queen of the Green. Owned by Harry Richardson and trained by Ty Garrett, the 5-year-old mare has won three of her five turf starts, all on this course. She returns to the Phoenix track and to grass after winning a dirt stakes at Boise on Aug. 10 and running fifth in a dirt stakes at Portland Meadows on Sept. 2. Anne Von Rosen rides.

Ms Pianist invades from Southern California, and while she’s 0 for 10 on turf, she has run some decent races on the sod against nice distaffers, efforts that would stack up very well here. Carreno has the call.

Local stalwart Cell Line Forever has been a fixture in turf-distaff stakes over the past few seasons. Owned by George Todaro and trained by Wade Rarick, the 6-year-old mare’s four grass wins all came here. She returns after running sixth in a turf stakes at Canterbury Park on Aug. 17.