Sigfreto Is Fair Game in Feature

There are a couple of angles that point to Sigfreto in this afternoon’s feature, the $50,000 Phil D. Shepherd Stakes.

You hear “horse for the course” thrown around frequently by handicappers, and nowhere on the Southern California circuit is it more applicable than around these tight turns. With an emphatic victory in the Pomona Derby here last season, Sigfreto certainly fills the bill. In fact, he and J T’s Song are the only members of the cast to have posed for pictures locally.

The Doug Peterson trainee is also making his third start off a vacation that had him sitting out from mid-January to early August.

Sigfreto’s biggest challenge could come from Most Likely, who was claimed for $80,000 last month by Bruce Headley, and the prodigal son Sign Of Fire, who travels 3,000 miles in search of a hat trick.

The 12th race features another matchup between mules Black Ruby and Taz.

The picks: 1. Touso Ishto. 2. The Grind. 3. Sideshow Caper. 4. Shutlin. 5. Barron H. 6. Splendid Mover. 7. Missionairess. 8. Pass The Reality. 9. Streets Of Laredo. 10. Sigfreto. 11. Primacy. 12. Black Ruby.

Post time: 12:30 p.m.

On the Net: For more, see www.latimes.com/horseracing.