Anothertwistafate switches to turf, debuts for Miller in Seabiscuit Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – When Mo Forza went to the sidelines last month, trainer Peter Miller lost the best middle-distance grass runner on the West Coast. And then a potential replacement fell right into his lap.

Anothertwistafate only has run once in the past 18 months. He’s never run on turf. But he moved to Miller’s barn following a September comeback victory in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile, and he’s trained strongly for his turf debut, and first start for Miller, on Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar.

It will not be an easy assignment, what with Chad Brown shipping in a pair, including probable favorite Flavius. Canadian transplant Count Again and Queen’s Plate winner One Bad Boy are also among the 13 entered in the 1 1/16-mile grass race for 3-year-olds and up. But Anothertwistafate has several points in his favor, including how well he’s trained, and his pedigree.

“He’s by Scat Daddy, and he’s 3 for 3 on synthetics, so if he can transfer that form, he’ll be tough,” Miller said.

Anothertwistafate – whose biggest win last year at age 3 came in the El Camino Real Derby prior to seconds in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby and Grade 3 Lexington – turned in a pair of mile works at San Luis Rey Downs in 1:38 and change earlier this month. Then last Sunday at Del Mar, he worked five furlongs on the grass and appeared to love it, reaching out with authority as he came through the lane.

Joel Rosario, who is here all week, has the mount.

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Flavius was fifth most recently in the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile. That followed a victory in the Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs, in which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 105, tops among this field this year. He must work out a trip from post 12 under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“He’s got a difficult post,” Brown said. “He’s training really well. We pointed for this right after the Shadwell Mile.”

Brown also sends out Spirit Animal, who won a second-level allowance at Belmont Park in his last start and was ticketed to race this week at Churchill Downs before grass racing was abandoned there.

“This is Plan B, but he fits with this field,” Brown said.

Count Again cuts back in distance after finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer going 1 1/2 miles at Woodbine last month. He is now with Phil D’Amato, who also sends out Bowies Hero, seventh in the Shadwell Mile last time out but a three-time winner on this course.

One Bad Boy most recently won the restricted Lure at Santa Anita in his second start following a 13-month layoff, beating Seabiscuit rival Majestic Eagle. One Bad Boy is usually forwardly placed, but likely will have to concede the lead here to the speedy Blitzkreig, who was fourth behind Mo Forza in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile last time out.

Richard Baltas trains One Bad Boy and doubles up with the inscrutable Next Shares, who won this race last year but is winless in six starts since.

My Boy Jack returns from a 13-month layoff for Keith Desormeaux. After winning the 2018 Lexington, he lost eight straight before heading to the sidelines.

Imperador has the look of an intriguing longshot. He was second in a third-level allowance at Churchill Downs in September in his first start since arriving from his native Argentina, where he was a two-time Group 1 winner and ran fourth of 23 last December in South America’s biggest race, the Group 1 Gran Carlos Pelligrini.

Camino Del Paraiso is seeking his third straight victory and though likely punching a bit above his weight class always gives a good account of himself. He has finished in the top two in 19 of 40 starts.

Tartini, also entered in the Grade 2 Turf Cup on Friday, rounds out the field

The Seabiscuit is race 7 on the nine-race card.