Turf Paradise will host two trials for the Turf Paradise Maiden Stakes on Sunday's race card.

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PHOENIX, AZ—OCTOBER 17, 2019—Trials for the Turf Paradise Maiden Stake will be held on Sunday to start the afternoon card. Two $3,000 trials will determine the field for the 300-yard stake, open to 3-year-olds and up who are maidens as of October 15, 2019.

The second and final trial could be the fastest, featuring both Desert Scorpion and Check This Wagon, starting side-by-side as the two morning-line favorites.

Desert Scorpion will be ridden by Hizain Solis Camacho for trainer Pedro Urias Soto. As a 2-year-old, the gelded son of Righter qualified for the AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity and has finished in the money in three of his five lifetime starts. Now a 4-year-old, he posted a speed figure of 82 in his most recent start, the fastest of any horse in the trials with the exception of Check this Wagon, who ran an 85 in his last race.

Desert Scorpion is owned by Guadelupe Ramos and was bred in Arizona by Juan Martin Zavala Aguero, out of Chase This Fly, by Fly Jess Fly.

Check This Wagon, a 3-year-old son of Paintyourownwagon, qualified to last year’s AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity as well as the AQRA President’s Fall Futurity.

Luis Valenzuela has the call for trainer Jose Botello. Marco Hernandez owns and Rosalio Hernandez Rivera bred Check This Wagon in Arizona out of Check N Chick Out, by Check Him Out.

The morning line favorite for the first trial is El Pescadito. Trained by Jorge Duarte-Noriega, the 3-year-old colt will be ridden by Andres Osuna and will break from post nine.

El Pescadito has two second-place finishes in his six career starts, including his most recent effort at Arizona Downs. In his start prior to that effort, he lost to Ms Fast Dynasty, a stakes qualifier who has won three consecutive races.

This will be the second start after a layoff for El Pescadito. He is owned and bred by MacLovio Regalado in Arizona, by Dale Schism and out of A Brilliant Czech, by Corona Czech.

Breaking out of post position three will be Jess C James and Emilio Tapia. Jess C James boasts the highest lifetime earnings in the field, with $21,955 earned in his 12 career starts. Jess C James has hit the board in half of those starts and moves to Arizona for the first time after running exclusively against state-bred company in New Mexico.

Jess C James is owned by Benito Guillen, Jr. and is trained by Benito Vega Gullien. He was bred in New Mexico by Currie Maben, by Jesse James Jr and out of Christinas Crystal, by Mr Eye Opener.