Miller back to defend training title; has five Saturday runners
DEL MAR, Calif. - In the summer of 2021, Peter Miller led all trainers at Del Mar with 26 wins, the third time in the last four years he won the title. To continue that success, a strong opening weekend from Friday through Sunday is vital.
On Saturday’s 11-race program, Miller, 55, has runners in five races, including the first-time starter All Tell Me Nolies in the fourth race for 2-year-old maiden fillies; Handy Dandy in an allowance race on turf in the fifth race; C Z Rocket in an allowance race for sprinters in the 10th; and Tezzaray in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes, the day’s final race.
All Tell Me Nolies, owned by Peter Redekop, was purchased for $230,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in training in April. By Arrogate, All Tell Me Nolies has had a steady pattern of workouts at the nearby San Luis Rey Downs training center, including a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on July 8.
All Tell Me Nolies, who will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez, is part of a field of 11 at five furlongs. The race changed when early scratches were announced on Thursday with the withdrawal of Fast and Shiny, a Bernardini filly trained by Bob Baffert.
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The withdrawal of Fast and Shiny allows the Baffert-trained Halosnheaven to join the field from the also-eligible list. Halosnheaven is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.
Miller said Friday that he is taking a guarded approach with All Tell Me Nolies.
“My filly is nice, but she’s not a burner,” Miller said.
C Z Rocket, an 8-year-old gelding, has won 11 of 31 starts and earned $1,531,741. A five-time stakes winner, C Z Rocket was second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland in 2020 and seventh in the race here last November. In his lone start this year, C Z Rocket was a well-beaten third in an allowance race at Oaklawn Park in January.
At the time, C Z Rocket was trained by Rene Amescua when Miller took a self-imposed hiatus from training for six months. Miller returned to training in June and won with 3 of his first 23 runners.