Calculator connections plan next move for Sham winner

ARCADIA, Calif. – The first stakes win and first win of Calculator’s career in Saturday’s $100,750 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita has left trainer Peter Miller debating how quickly to plan another start for the highly regarded 3-year-old.

As of Sunday, Miller was considering two options over 1 1/16 miles – the $150,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 7 or the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 7. Both races have recent winners who went on to win the Kentucky Derby.

In 2012, I’ll Have Another won the Lewis as a prep for victories in the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby. Last year, California Chrome won the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby before winning the Kentucky Derby.

On Sunday, Miller said a decision depends on how quickly Calculator recovers from his fifth career start.

“We’ll either run him in the Lewis, or we’ll skip it and wait for the next one,” Miller said. “It depends on how he trains.”

Last year, Calculator was second to American Pharoah in two Grade 1 races in September – the Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs and the FrontRunner Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. He missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November because of a bruised foot and the Los Alamitos Futurity in December because of illness.

There was no impediment to racing Saturday.

Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, Calculator raced five wide on the first turn and three wide on the second turn before finishing 4 1/4 lengths in front of stablemate Rock Shandy. Calculator ran a mile in 1:34.88.

“I went wide because I’d rather be wide than be in between horses or caught inside,” Trujillo said after the race. “He did it very easy. Stretching out will be no problem for him. He’s very good.”

Owned by Richard Pell, Calculator has earned $193,500.