By DRF.com
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Mar. 11, 2022) — Tiger Dad registered a big win routing on dirt Nov. 26 at Turf Paradise before a couple of good turf-route stakes efforts here this winter. Well, a return to dirt and sprinting Friday did the trick as the 6-year-old California-bred gelding posted a mild upset in the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup, the meet’s marquee event.
Bred by Mark Devereaux, Scott Gross & Mark Gross, owned by Rosette Racing LLC and trained by Robertino Diodoro, the son of Smiling Tiger bided his time early as Annie’s Boy and 3-2 favorite Minister of Soul dueled through sizzling splits (21.36 seconds and 43.91). Tiger Dad advanced on the far turn, challenged into the lane, and kept on gamely under Karlo Lopez to beat a rallying Bedrock by a half-length. He ran the six furlongs in 1:08.64 and returned $13.
Tiger Dad has seven wins in 25 starts, earnings of $432,875 and was claimed for $50,000 last November.
Bedrock, coming off a romping stakes win at Rillito Park near Tucson, rallied from last for second, while Darnquick rallied from next-to-last for third in the field of nine. Minister of Soul, winner of the 2019 Phoenix Gold Cup and favored off a big allowance win here in January, dueled before tiring to fifth. Law Abidin Citizen, a classy Southern California raider sent off as the 2-1 second choice, stalked the pace to the top of the lane before tiring to seventh.
In other stakes action:
* Mucho Del Oro ($3.60) showed speed and guts to capture the $100,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap. Owned by Peerenboom Racing Stables LLC and trained by Vladimir Cerin, the 4-year-old gelded son of Mucho Macho Man went out to the early lead in the mile turf event, looked in trouble when passed into the lane, but re-rallied gamely to get up by a nose under Juan Hernandez. My Indy dogged the winner from the start, took the lead into the lane, but couldn’t quite finish with that rival to end up second. Majestic Eagle, the 8-5 second choice, stalked and ran on for third in the field of seven. Mucho Del Oro ran the mile in 1:35.08.
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* Chrome King ($48.20), who was awarded the win in the Startac on turf here Feb. 18 via the disqualification of original first-place finisher Mongolian Memory, showed dirt is no issue as the 3-year-old gelded son of Munnings posted a 23-1 upset in the $75,000 Turf Paradise Derby.
Owned by Stable HMA and trained by Miguel Hernandez, Chrome King sat last early as Mashhad Flat and Phoenician Ghost dueled early in the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-olds. Chrome King bided his time before unleashing a strong wide run turning for home and into the lane to post the length win. Finneus, a Southern California raider sent off as the 1-5 favorite, rallied to the lead in midstretch but couldn’t quite finish with the winner to end up second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Mashhad Flats in third in the field of six.
Chrome King ran the distance in 1:44.11.
* Unsolved Mystery ($7.80), coming off a romping maiden win Feb. 6 at Santa Anita, handled the step up into the stakes ranks and a route in the $75,000 Arizona Oaks, leading all the way to gamely post the win. Owned by California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC, and Seacoast Racing LLC and trained by Ryan Hanson, the 3-year-old daughter of Goldencents went right to the lead in the mile contest under Mario Gutierrez, set modest splits under pressure from 6-5 favorite Madiha, and kept to her task gamely for the half-length win. Chesterette stalked and ran on for second as the 7-5 second choice, three-quarters of a length ahead of Madiha in third in the field of eight. Unsolved Mystery ran the distance in 1:37.47.