Calculator appears primed for Sham Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif . - A sore foot followed a month later by an illness kept Calculator from starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 and the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 20.

Judging from a six-furlong workout in 1:11.60 at Santa Anita on Sunday, nothing will stop Calculator from playing a leading role in the $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday.

Owned by Richard Pell and trained by Peter Miller, Calculator is still a maiden after four starts, but was second to American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs on Sept. 3, and the Grade 1 Frontrunner Stakes over 1 1/16 miles here on Sept. 27, his most recent start.

American Pharoah is considered the leading candidate for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding 2-year-old male of 2014 along with Texas Red, who was third in the FrontRunner and won the BC Juvenile.

Miller watched the BC Juvenile, wondering where his colt would have finished.

“It’s frustrating because we beat Texas Red and he won the Breeders’ Cup,” Miller said. “I thought we had a big chance going in to Los Al and he got sick. It may be a blessing in disguise. We have a fresh horse.”

Calculator’s workout was the fastest of 32 recorded works at the distance. Miller timed the colt galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.40.

Calculator is part of a list of eight candidates for the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, which is run over a mile. Other probable starters are Hero Ten All, Lord Nelson, Papacoolpapacool, Rock Shandy, Rockinatten, St. Joe Bay, and Unblunted.

Trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday that Lord Nelson is not a definite runner.

Miller also trains Rock Shandy and St Joe Bay. Rock Shandy, third in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 30 in his stakes debut, worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 on Sunday. St. Joe Bay was third in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes over seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 15 and fourth in the DeMille Stakes.