Following a promising California debut, Ghoul steps up in Clocker's Corner Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ghoul, a multiple stakes winner in Brazil, had a sleepy start to his North American career last spring and summer, going winless at Gulfstream, Saratoga and Woodbine in five races.

His career in California is off to a much brighter start. Ghoul won an optional-claiming turf sprint in his first start for trainer Peter Miller on Dec. 29 at Santa Anita, and runs Sunday here in $75,000 Clocker’s Corner Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Ghoul fits in the Clocker’s Corner Stakes after his recent win, in which he closed from well off the pace under jockey Joel Rosario as opposed to racing near the front as he had last year when trained by Mark Casse.

“We tried different tactics,” Miller said on Friday. “We decided to take him back. Joel’s kind of a master at that. I think Joel was the main difference.”

Ghoul, a 5-year-old gelding who races for Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel, won the optional claimer by a half-length over What’sontheagenda, who is part of the Clocker’s Corner field.

The race is restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes in 2019 or this year.

The optional claimer was Ghoul’s first win in North America and first victory since winning a stakes at five furlongs on turf in Brazil in December 2018. Ghoul ended the Brazilian portion of his career with four consecutive wins, three of which were stakes.

“I’m happy with how he’s doing,” Miller said. “He will have to step up again to be able to win this race.”

Aside from What’sontheagenda, Ghoul’s main rivals on Sunday are Double Touch and Lil Milo.

Double Touch, trained by John Sadler, was a fast-closing second to the Miller-trained Texas Wedge in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf here on Jan. 1. A closer, Double Touch won the restricted Wickerr Stakes at a mile at Del Mar in 2018 when trained by Dan Blacker. Double Touch was claimed for $40,000 last September.

Lil Milo, who won a $50,000 claimer for statebred maidens at Del Mar in November 2018, was third to Ghoul in the optional claimer on Dec. 29 after racing from a stalking position. Lil Milo was eighth of nine in the Lure Stakes at a mile on turf here in October in his stakes debut.

What’sontheagenda, who was second in two five-furlong turf stakes here last summer, is quick, but could face an early threat for the lead from Bay Muzik, who was third in the Hernandez.

Trained by Ari Herbertson, Bay Muzik has won four of his last six starts, with the wins coming in allowance races or optional claimers and a $40,000 claimer at five furlongs on turf at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 22.

Bay Muzik was beaten three-quarters of a length in the Hernandez after leading by a length in the stretch.