Turf Paradise: Mighty Fine filly

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Her name says it all as she heads into the $35,000 Sun City Handicap at Turf Paradise.

Lookn Mighty Fine returns to the site of some of her best work, including a win in this same race last year, off a strong Southern California campaign as the 122-pound highweight in the one-mile grass feature.

There's no lack of opposition, however. Nine others are lined up to take a shot at Lookn Mighty Fine.

But if her 3-for-4 record on this course wasn't enough to make her favored, certainly her past year's activity in Southern California does the job.

Lookn Mighty Fine hasn't run since winning a tough $100,000 optional claimer at a mile on the turf at Santa Anita Jan. 4, but she showed last fall she runs well off the bench. Before her last win she was second to Impeachable, a stakes-caliber turf filly, and chased the likes of Dancingonice when coming off the bench at Santa Anita last October. That foe is graded stakes placed.

But it's not like Lookn Mighty Fine has much margin for error. Balboa Park comes off a game nose win here at this distance in the Ocean Bay on April 13. Not only does it give her a recent win over the course, but that recency could give her a fitness edge. Balboa Park has won 4 of 10 on this course, but in her Ocean Bay win she was only a neck in front of entrymate Hazen, and she has finished behind a few of the same rivals she faces again.

Ode to Elaine certainly has the talent to win this - she has been a machine the 18 months except for a poor try off a long layoff last fall at Sunland. The main issue is turf. She failed to hit the board in her lone turf try, but it's hard to say she won't turf on the basis of one race. She's by Bertrando, so from a pedigree standpoint turf shouldn't be a problem.

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