Big weekend puts Miller atop trainer standings

ARCADIA, Calif. – The initial days of 2021 have been very kind to trainer Peter Miller, who won five races from Friday through Sunday at Santa Anita to take a commanding lead in the trainers’ standings after the first two weeks of the winter-spring meeting.

Miller has won seven races since opening day on Dec. 26 and through Sunday holds a three-win advantage over Bob Baffert.

Miller won two turf stakes over New Year’s Day weekend – Friday’s Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes for sprinters with Hembree and Saturday’s Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles with Anothertwistafate.

They could be bound for stakes as far away as Dubai in coming months.

Hembree, 7, will be considered for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at six furlongs on turf at Meydan Racecourse on March 27 in Dubai, pending a conversation between Miller and owner Tom Kagele.

Hembree ran without the anti-bleeder medication Lasix in the Hernandez. All stakes in California, with the exception of stakes for older California-breds, are being contested without the medication, a rule change that went into effect at the start of the year. Lasix is not permitted in Dubai.

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“We might consider Dubai now that he ran without Lasix,” Miller said. “It’s something to think about.”

Hembree, who has won three stakes, was claimed for $62,500 on Nov. 19 at Churchill Downs, the day he won an allowance/optional claimer at a mile. Miller credited Kagele for suggesting the claim.

Anothertwistafate has been invited to the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park, and will be considered for that $1 million race or the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes, a $200,000 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf Jan. 30 at Santa Anita.

“I think we’ll lean toward keeping him on the grass,” Miller said.

A 5-year-old horse who has won 5 of 10 starts, Anothertwistafate was transferred from trainer Blaine Wright to Miller in the fall by owner Peter Redekop. Anothertwistafate has won three stakes, including the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in September in his final start for Wright.

Miller has interstate plans for C Z Rocket, who is co-owned by Kagele, Gary Barber, and Madaket Stable.

C Z Rocket worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds at the San Luis Rey Downs training center on Sunday, the 7-year-old gelding’s second workout since a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

Miller said C Z Rocket may race at Oaklawn Park in coming months because of California’s new Lasix rules.

The Miller-trained Get Her Number, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in September, is scheduled to begin galloping this week at San Luis Rey Downs after being given a rest in the fall.

Get Her Number was taken out of training in mid-October because of bone bruising. Veterinarians recently gave approval for Get Her Number to resume exercise, Miller said.

“If we can get enough works, and get a race in March, it puts us in play for the classics,” Miller said.

Texas Wedge, a two-time stakes winner who was fourth in the Hernandez, will be turned out for 60 to 90 days. Miller said Texas Wedge bled in the Hernandez, which was detected in a post-race examination.

“He bled when we scoped him,” Miller said. “I want to do the right thing by the horse.”

Texas Wedge won the Hernandez in 2020.