Turf Paradise: Stablemates score as heavy favorites in divisions of ATBA Fall Sales Stakes

As expected, Page Springs remained undefeated in five starts as she had no trouble dominating 10 other 2-year-old fillies in Sunday’s $98,230 ATBA Fall Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise.

Owned by the Sawyer Cattle Company and trained by Dan McFarlane, she used her speed as usual to bounce out to a clear lead in the six-furlong event. She led by five lengths at the first call, by 2 1/2 lengths at the quarter pole , and by six at the eighth pole before cruising home to win by 3 1/2 lengths as the overwhelming 1-20 favorite. She has not been behind a horse at any margin call in her five starts.

Page Springs ($2.10), a daughter of Rocky Bar, ran the distance in 1:10.99 under Glen Corbett. Hot on Top closed from well back to finish second and while no threat did end five lengths clear of the next finisher, Hindu Kush.

The winner’s share of $54,572 pushes Page Springs’s bankroll to $138,060

*Az Ridge made it a clean sweep for the same owner, trainer, and jockey of Page Springs but unlike the filly, capturing the colts and geldings division of the $72,781 ATBA Fall Sales Stakes was far from easy. As the heavy 2-5 favorite Az Ridge, a 12-length winner of his trial for this race Oct. 1, stalked the early pace in the field of 12, moved up to challenge pacesetter A Political Time going to the far turn, and then those two engaged in a long battle the rest of the way before Az Ridge prevailed by a nose. A Political Time was a game second, 6 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Wildcat Energy.

Az Ridge paid $2.80 as the favorite and ran the distance in 1:11.41. The winner’s share of $29,878 gives him career earnings of $55,117 from 2 wins in 7 starts.