Hammersly's preview: Miller could have a big day

More Miller time?

As noted in Thursday’s preview, trainer Peter Miller was lined up to start the week off nicely. Well, things look promising for Miller on Friday, too, as he may well have the runners to beat in the first three races.

He sends out Poshky in the day’s opener, a mile optional claimer for California-breds on turf. Poshky, a 4-year-old gelded son of Vronsky, rallied from well back to be second in an identical race here May 26. He has more tactical speed than that so he doesn’t necessarily have to come from way out of it.

In race 2, Miller sends out recent acquisition Close to the Edge in a $16,000 claimer at six furlongs on the main track. The 7-year-old Close to the Edge is a seven-time winner, though his last win came at Fairplex way back in September 2012. At least it was a stakes, the Governor’s Cup. And while he’s 0 for 9 since, Close to the Edge has run some good races. He was a solid third for $12,500 here May 24 when claimed by Miller, who’s a sharp 19 percent off a claim.

Miller puts the tack on No Barneys in a race 3, a $20,000 maiden claimer at a mile on the main track. No Barneys is by Zensational, a multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter, but there’s Dynaformer as his dam's sire (produced such top distance dirt horses as Barbaro, Perfect Drift, and Dynever) to boost his route prospects. No Barneys has been strictly a sprinter. After two dull races at Barretts last September, he was sidelined before resurfacing here this spring to run fourth and third in a pair of sprints at this level. A sharp work since his last run (four furlongs in 47.80 seconds here June 14) says he’s doing well.

One thing you can say for certain is Miller will not win race 4 – he doesn’t have an entrant.

He will have yet another opportunity in race 5, a straight maiden five-furlong dash for 2-year-olds, when he sends out Bold Bid. The colt, who cost a hefty $260,000 at auction this March, is by top sire and two-time Grade 2 winner Pulpit and has been working well at San Luis Rey Downs. Miller is a strong 21 percent first out, too.

Beware of Guns Loaded

As a 2-year-old last summer, Guns Loaded flashed ample talent for trainer Cody Autrey. After winning his debut there July 20, he went into the Grade 2 Best Pal and was a solid third. He backed that up with a good run in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, finishing fifth but beaten just 1 1/4 lengths. Oh, the horse who finished just behind him in sixth you may have heard of – California Chrome.

Guns Loaded went to the Midwest, where he had some success, running second in a stakes at Remington and then this year winning an optional claimer at Oaklawn before a couple so-so dirt sprint stakes efforts there. So when he came here March 24 for his first try on turf against some tough proven hillside specialists you had cause for skepticism.

Well, no more. Guns Loaded, a son of D’ wildcat, handled the hill wonderfully. He stalked a hot pace and came home gamely to be a strong second at 11-1, losing by just a head to fellow closer Royal F J. He’s back for another crack at the hill and Royal F J in race 6, a tough optional claimer.

But now that he has some hillside experience Guns Loaded may be ready to move forward. Also, the pace here may be more to his liking. He has some tactical speed. In that March 24 race they went fast in front of him and tired. There may not be a contested pace this time as Rangi – one of those who dueled and faded March 24 – looks like the lone speed. That may mean Guns Loaded can stalk, go after Rangi when rider Joe Talamo sees fit, getting first run on closers like Royal F J, Stormberg, and the dangerous back-classer Den’s Legacy.

Rangi figures to be winging and if able to clear and dictate tempo could prove tough to catch. Royal F J got his type of race shape March 24 but may not get that here. Den’s Legacy, a veteran of graded competition on turf, returns after nearly five months off and sprints for the first time in a long time. But with the layoff the return at this shorter trip may be prudent, and he has been working splendidly for Bob Baffert, who of course is well known for firing off the bench.

Seeking the Sherif eyes graded stakes

Seeking the Sherif, so impressive beating a very strong group of optional claimers June 6, is eyeing bigger game, according to his trainer, Ron Ellis.

The 5-year-old Seeking the Sherif was claimed for a mere $12,500 in December but now eyes graded stakes. Ellis said after the runner’s big win that the Grade 1 Triple Bend here June 28 at seven furlongs could be next. Or, they may opt to wait for the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar on July 27 at six furlongs. Either spot could prove very tough. Grade 1 winner Sahara Sky is eyeing the Triple Bend while Grade 1 winner (and recent Grade 1 Met Mile runner-up) Goldencents is reportedly targeting the Bing Crosby.

Speaking of Goldencents, after his stellar Met Mile performance when second to Palace Malice, considered by many the nation’s top dirt horse, he’s eyeing the Bing Crosby and then possibly the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga later this summer. Should all go well, the Doug O’Neill-trained Goldencents will point to a defense of his Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here in the fall.

Spot play

Race 8

Lindante (#6, 3-1) looks like the right way to end your day. Don’t expect to get rich on him alone; after all, he may well go favored. But he can be a linchpin for your multi-race wagers. This 3-year-old gelding was very slow into stride in his debut on this hillside course June 7 but finished with good energy to be third. He can benefit from that outing and surely from a better start. Hot-riding Joe Talamo stays with him.