Judge Miller turns heads with 11-length allowance win, equals year's top Beyer of 105

ARCADIA, Calif. – Judge Miller surprised his trainer and his rider Saturday at Santa Anita, where the lightly raced 4-year-old burst to prominence with a runaway allowance romp that earned a 105 Beyer, equaling the highest figure this year in North America.

Mark Glatt trains Judge Miller, a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Clairiere who was stretching to a mile after winning a maiden sprint in his second start. Glatt was confident the colt would appreciate two turns Saturday, but acknowledged the performance took him by surprise.

“If he’d have won (Saturday) by two or three lengths, that’s kind of what I expected,” Glatt said. Judge Miller won by 11 lengths in 1:35.20, the fastest dirt mile at Santa Anita since Practical Move won an allowance in 1:35.14 last October.

“You don’t see 35-and-change here very often,” Glatt said. “And he’s still a little bit green, not as much (Saturday). He’s a natural two-turn horse, and he’ll run as far as they ever want to go.”

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Frankie Dettori rode Judge Miller in the first-level allowance on Saturday, and Glatt said Dettori told him afterward the fast pace (46.39 and 1:09.82) that he contested was no problem. Dettori told Glatt: “We were clipping right along. I kept thinking he was going to get a little tired. He never got tired, and he took off with me galloping out.”

Judge Miller was purchased by Muir Hut Stables for $550,000 at the 2021 Keeneland yearling sale. Glatt took his time with the colt, sired by Curlin and produced by multiple Grade 1 winner Cavorting. “He’s a huge horse, he was not going to be a 2-year-old,” the trainer said.

Glatt had Judge Miller ready for his debut as a 3-year-old last summer at Del Mar, but a foot abscess derailed plans. Judge Miller finally made his first start Nov. 19 at Del Mar, finishing second. He won his second start in a maiden sprint Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, earning a 94 Beyer, then got sick and was scratched from an entry-level allowance route Jan. 27. He recovered quickly and trained forwardly into the Saturday allowance.

Judge Miller’s 105 Beyer equals the figure earned this year by five others – Nysos, National Treasure, Saudi Crown, Senor Buscador and Skelly.

“He’s got speed, he’s got the pedigree,” Glatt said regarding Judge Miller. “The sky’s the limit.”

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