Turf Paradise plans for 136-day meet in 2015-16

PHOENIX – Turf Paradise will bring up the curtain for a 60th time as the track announced dates and its stakes schedule for the 2015-16 stand. The Phoenix track will hold its 136-day meet Saturday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, May 8.

As with the most recent meet, live racing will be conducted primarily Saturdays through Wednesdays, though there will be a few weeks (Breeders’ Cup week, Kentucky Derby week) when the schedule will change.

A stakes schedule with 35 events valued at $1.45 million is led by the track’s marquee event, the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup at six furlongs Feb. 13. It also includes the $75,000 Cotton Fitzimmons Mile on turf Jan. 16 and the $75,000 Turf Paradise Derby at 1 1/16 miles on dirt Feb. 20.

Purses will be raised 6 percent, track general manger Vincent Francia said. Racing secretary Michael Harlow reminds horsemen that the deadline for stall applications is Aug. 9.