Turf Paradise: Hard Seven ready to fire in City of Phoenix

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Hard Seven looks to continue her sharp form in the $35,000 City of Phoenix Stakes at Turf Paradise on Saturday. A six-furlong event for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, the City of Phoenix drew a field of nine.

Like her sire, Rock Hard Ten, who was a Grade 1 winner sprinting and routing, Hard Seven has shown her versatility. She began her career in the Midwest, winning her debut at Prairie Meadows in May 2010 by 5 1/4 lengths sprinting on dirt. Later that year Hard Seven ran second in a grass sprint at Kentucky Downs and came here to win an allowance dirt sprint by 13 1/2 lengths. She followed with a second in the Arizona Juvenile Filly last Dec. 26.

After a long layoff, Hard Seven has come back as good as ever. She ran second, beaten two lengths, in her dirt sprint return here Nov. 1 against males. The winner of that race, 5-year-old gelding Danzing Tribal, came back to win the Caballos del Sol here Dec. 3. Hard Seven came back to win the Chandler at a mile on turf here Nov. 19.

Hard Seven has worked strongly since her last race, posting a bullet 59.40-second move at five furlongs here Dec. 4. Glenn Corbett rides Hard Seven, who is trained by Dan McFarlane.

There is no lack of challengers, however. Got an Itch comes off a wire-to-wire victory on grass Nov. 18. That was just her second start back off a long layoff, and she can improve. She has two wins on the dirt main track here.

Cry Cry Cry was a multiple winner on dirt at Hastings before coming here this season. Her first two local starts came on turf, and she ran well in each, finishing second in the Queen of the Green on Oct. 29 and third behind Got an Itch in an optional claimer Nov. 18. She moves to what figures to be her best surface; five of her seven wins have come on dirt.

Tornado Betty is 0 for 11 this year and hasn’t won since 2010. She showed signs of life, however, when second on turf here Nov. 18, and she moves back to dirt. In her five starts on this main track she has three wins and two second-place finishes.