Calculator likes the Clocker's Corner surface

ARCADIA, Calif. – At times in his career, Calculator has been a Triple Crown contender, the winner of two turf sprints, and good enough in main track sprints to merit a start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last November.

For his first start of 2018, Calculator has been entered in Sunday’s $75,000 Clocker’s Corner Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. The hillside course is a comfort zone for Calculator, who has won both of his starts on the surface.

The Clocker’s Corner Stakes, restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes since July 1, will be Calculator’s second start of the current winter-spring meeting. He was a troubled fourth in the Grade 3 Midnight Lute Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt Dec. 30.

“He’s pretty versatile and hopefully we’ve found his friends,” trainer Peter Miller said of the competition.

A 6-year-old, Calculator won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds on dirt in 2015, his most recent stakes win. Owned by Richard Pell, Calculator was second in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in August and seventh behind the Miller-trained Roy H in the BC Sprint.

Calculator is the only graded stakes winner in the Clocker’s Corner field. Jimmy Bouncer, claimed for $20,000 at Los Alamitos last July by current trainer Mike Pender, won the Harris Farms Stakes for California-breds at the Big Fresno Fair in 2016.

The Critical Way won the Danzig Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National last June and won a $50,000 claimer on the hillside turf course on Jan. 13 in his turf debut.

KEY CONTENDERS

Calculator, by In Summation
Last 3 Beyers: 94-88-99

◗ Calculator was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Silent Bird in the Midnight Lute Stakes, racing in traffic in early stretch. The incident may have cost Calculator a chance for a victory.

“He certainly would have been a lot closer,” Miller said. “It’s hard to say if he would have won or not.”

◗ Calculator is winless in his last four starts, since an allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option on the hillside turf course last July.

◗ Miller said the Clocker’s Corner Stakes could be a prep for the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs March 10 and was preferred over the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs next Saturday, which is expected to include Roy H.

“We didn’t want to run him against Roy H,” Miller said. “It makes sense and maybe we can get a confidence booster.”

Fly to Mars, by Ministers Wild Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 93-86-86

◗ Fly to Mars is unbeaten in two starts on the hillside turf course – a starter allowance in October and an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option Dec. 31. Fly to Mars, who is expected to set the pace, was fifth in the Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar last July in his only other stakes appearance.

“The horse is sharp, but it’s a big jump in class,” Miller said. “Never underestimate a sharp horse.”