- Coady Photography / by Ty Wyant

Sophomore Turf Stakes Doubleheader at Turf

Phoenix, AZ - March 19, 2011 - Forest Mouse beat the boys in the $25,000 Tempe Handicap and Irenes Jackpot handled the girls in a stakes doubleheader for 3-year olds on the grass at Turf Paradise on Saturday afternoon.

Jockey Perry Whetstone kept Forest Mouse off the pace in his first attempt at two turns and the son of Teton Forest settled into mid-pack in the 8-horse field. He made a bid through the stretch to get the win by one-half length in 1:36.87 for the turf mile.

The Great Caper was second by three quarters of a length over 6-5 favorite Arcadian.
Owned and trained by Mark Jensen, Forest Mouse was overlooked at 10-1 odds despite coming from off the pace to win a Turf Paradise allowance race in a sharp 1:09.04 in his prior out.
Bill Dory’s Irenes Jackpot shipped from Santa Anita Park to win the Scottsdale Handicap by an expanding one-and-one-half lengths under Lori Keith. She was timed in 1:38.03 for her second career win from four starts.

Irenes Jackpot won her maiden in her second start for a $30,000 claiming tag at Santa Anita.
Keith kept Irenes Jackpot, who had previously competed at sprint distance, near the pace and then took the lead entering the stretch before pulling away for the victory at 8-1 odds.
The Paul Aguirre-owned and -trained Ghost N Your Heart, another shipper from Santa Anita, made a late bid to finish second in her second out on the grass. The E Dubai daughter won her first of four starts for her other career victory.

Finishing nearly three lengths behind Ghost N Your Heart for third was Rick Weist’s Miss Buxley, the 7-5 favorite. She raced in contention but was unable to mount a winning effort after taking the Arizona Oaks in her previous start.