Calder: Summer Front scores as favorite in Miami Mile

Summer Front displayed the form that made him a two-time stakes winner as a 3-year-old last season when he rallied from fourth in the stretch to score as the odds-on favorite in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Miami Mile at Calder.

In his first start of the season last month, Summer Front encountered some traffic trouble and did well to make a late move to pick up a third-place finish against high-priced optional claimers. That prep was clearly enough to have him ready to fire his best shot Saturday.

Breaking from the rail under Joe Bravo, the 4-year-old Summer Front ($3.80) saved ground while racing fourth as El Commodore and jockey Orlando Bocachica sprinted to the lead from post 12 and posted fractions of 48.57 and 1:11.71. El Commodore still was in front by a length with a furlong remaining, but Summer Front kicked into high gear, moved in front at the sixteenth pole, and drew clear to win by 1 ½ lengths. The final time for a mile over a course rated good was 1:35.31.

El Commodore held second by 1 ½ lengths. Empire Builder outfought Alley Oop Oop by a neck for third.

A son of War Front trained by Christophe Clement for Waterford Stable, Summer Front has now won 6 of 12 starts and $471,000. Last year, he won the Grade 3 Hill Prince and the listed Duluth at Saratoga and was third in a pair of Grade 1 turf stakes, the Secretariat and the Jamaica.