Turf Paradise: Table Mesa takes Mesa as favorite

Table Mesa continued her strong form as the 6-year-old mare captured Saturday’s $25,000 Mesa Handicap at Turf Paradise.

Owned by Dennis Weir and trained by Sandi Gann, Table Mesa was coming off a 10-length romp in the Sun City Handicap in the slop here last month. She broke slowly under regular rider Scott Stevens to be well back early, but has been effective from off the pace before. She steadily advanced, picked very wide into the lane in the 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares, and finished strongly to get up for the three-quarter-length win over Trojan Victory.

Trojan Victory had rallied to the lead into the lane but couldn’t fend off the winner while another three-quarters of a length ahead of Catana Perez. The two other favorites in the field, Holding Her Ground and Frisco Fox, finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

Table Mesa ran the distance in 1:15.10 and paid $4.80 as the favorite. The winner’s share of $15,000 pushes her bankroll to $176,244 from 7 wins in 30 starts.