Turf Paradise: Leroy's Dynameaux gets class relief in Cotton Fitzsimmons

After chasing the likes of Acclamation, Regally Ready, Jeranimo, and Caracortado in Southern California, Leroy’s Dynameaux should relish the opportunity to see no such graded stakes winners in Saturday’s $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap at Turf Paradise. The one-mile grass event drew a field of 10, including defending champion All Saint.

But by virtue of the company he has kept, Leroy’s Dynameaux gets the call. Trained by Mark Glatt, the 5-year-old Leroy’s Dynameaux is just 1 for his last 12. That victory came when he rallied powerfully from far back to win a strong optional claiming race at Hollywood Park last July 2.
But Leroy’s Dynameaux can be excused some for his record, considering whom he has been facing. He ran fifth behind top-class Jeranimo in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park on Nov. 26 and comes into this off a rallying fourth in an optional claimer going a mile on the Santa Anita turf Jan. 5. The winner of that race was Compari, a graded stakes winner. Stephan Heiler rides at 119 pounds.

Highweight honors of 121 pounds go to defending champion and speedster All Saint. Trained by Wilton Whitehouse, All Saint led all the way to easily win this race last year, part of a four-stakes win streak that earned him horse of the meet honors. All Saint hasn’t been as sharp since the summer, though he was second in the Walter Cluer on this course at this distance on Oct. 29.

All Saint moves back to turf after pressing the pace and finishing fourth going a mile on the main track in the Hank Mills Sr. Handicap, a race won by Saturday’s foe Hezamazing. Mike Iammarino rides.

Hezamazing, a multiple stakes winner on dirt, carries 120 pounds for just his second grass start. He finished off the board in that turf outing.

Earnednevergiven is a six-time winner on turf, all in Southern California. An 8-year-old, Earnednevergiven looks to bounce back after finishing ninth in a grass sprint at Santa Anita on Dec. 29.

Life Is a Rock and Mr. Candy Bar invade from Northern California, where the pair swapped a number of decisions on the turf.