Paradise Woods

HS Stable and Wygod’s classy Paradise Woods, less than $15,000 away from the magic $1 million mark in career earnings, heads a field of seven older fillies and mares Sunday in the featured Grade I $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at a mile and one-sixteenth over the main track.

Paradise Woods,  a five-year-old daughter of Union Rags who has won four of 15 starts and $985,890, figures to be a solid favorite in the Hirsch which is a ‘Win and You’re In” qualifying event for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Santa Anita.

Hall of Famer Mike Smith has the assignment from trainer John Shirreffs who will be opposed by La Force, Drayden Van Dyke; Just A Smidge, Martin Garcia; Ollie’s Candy, Kent Desormeaux; Queen Bee To You, Ruben Fuentes, and Spring in the Wind, Rafael Bejarano.  

Paradise Woods a ended seven-race losing streak with a brilliant performance in the Grade II Santa Margarita in late April at Santa Anita, winning by more than ten lengths as the 3-5 favorite. However, she was upset in her next outing, the Santa Maria, losing by a length and one-quarter to La Force as the 1-2 betting choice.

The German-bred La Force will be seeking to prove that victory over Paradise Woods was no fluke Sunday. Although a winner of only three races in a 25-race career, the five-year-old has been a consistent stakes campaigner, numbering 15 in-the-money results while earning $550,800.

Spring in the Wind, trained by Bob Hess, Jr., competed in the Bed O Roses at Belmont Park most recently, finishing fifth in the seven-furlong sprint. Just A Smidge was third in the aforementioned Santa Maria, Secret Spice was beaten a half-length in the La Troienne in early May at Churchill Downs, Ollie’s Candy was runner-up in the Wilshire and Queen Bee To You won the Bertrando by a nose in late June.

Sunday’s first of eight races is scheduled for 2 p.m.