Turf Paradise: L. A. Weekend looks swiftest of the Swift

A trio of big wins last season at Turf Paradise, including the meet’s marquee event, the Phoenix Gold Cup, led to L. A. Weekend being named horse of the meet. Well, the way the 6-year-old gelding has returned this season he looks even bigger and badder than before, which adds up to bad news for his rivals in Saturday’s $35,000 Swift Stakes. The 5 1/2-furlong main-track event drew a field of seven.

There’s no doubt, however, that the race goes through L. A. Weekend. Owned by Rick Wiest and trained by Robertino Diodoro, L. A. Weekend has come back breathing fire this meet. After failing to threaten in a pair of stakes last spring at Hollywood Park and Northlands Park he got a well-earned break of more than four months.

He returned here Oct. 23 and blasted optional claimers by two lengths, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. That set him up for the Dec. 7 Caballos del Sol, and he was even more dominant, dueling for the early lead under Geovanni Franco before drawing off to win that six-furlong event by seven lengths, geared down, earning another 99 Beyer. Franco has the call again.

Should L. A. Weekend stumble or get lost on the way to the paddock, arch nemesis Absolutely Cool could take advantage. A 7-year-old owned by Karl Krieg and trained by Valorie Lund, Absolutely Cool has been knocking heads with L. A. Weekend the past couple seasons. He ran third in this race last year and has been off since running third to L. A. Weekend in the Dec. 7 Caballos del Sol, beaten 10 3/4 lengths.

Goodbye Charlie, owned by Pete Gallegos and trained by Dan McFarlane, appears to have found his game. He’s won 4 of 5 here and ran second in his lone local loss. He and steps up in class as he eyes a third straight win this meet, having beaten optional claimers here Dec. 1 and Jan. 1.