Turf Paradise: Muir Beach peaking

Muir Beach has won routing and sprinting, on turf and on dirt. Horses don't come much more professional than Muir Beach, who is in peak form for the $50,000 Queen of the Green Handicap at Turf Paradise on Saturday. The mile turf race has a field of eight.

, 3, was a maiden coming into 2004. But she has won four of her last six starts, and comes in Saturday off a smart win at 3-5 in the 7 1/2-furlong Chandler Handicap at Turf Paradise Nov. 19.

Since she won that race going away, and since she has won before at a mile, the distance Saturday is obviously within her reach.

The last time Muir Beach lost was to Southern California shipper Wind Flow, who traveled here and outdueled her in the Awatukee Express Oct. 23. And it is another Southern California raider, Shezsospiritual, who is her main danger Saturday. Shezsospiritual is like Muir Beach in that she's versatile. She's won six times, three on turf. She comes in off a third in the Star Ball Handicap on the turf at Golden Gate. This summer she won the E.B. Johnston at Fairplex and was third in the Las Madrinas there.

Very Vegas can fly out of the gate and will go as far as her speed takes her. Very Vegas won the Arizona Oaks at Turf Paradise in February, opening up nine lengths early, then holding on by a head. She comes off a series of sprint stakes in the East, including a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Prioress at Belmont. She has won on turf, albeit sprinting.