Miller brings 1-2 punch to Friday sprint feature
CYPRESS, Calif. – Easter Fever and Fast Magoo give trainer Peter Miller two excellent chances to win Friday’s seventh race at Los Alamitos, an optional claimer for California-bred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Having two runners has its benefits, Miller said.
“It’s kind of a good one-two punch,” he said on Wednesday. “Fast Magoo will be on the lead, and Easter Fever can come from off the pace. Hopefully, one of them can do it.”
The optional claimer is the leading race on an eight-race program. The race drew a field of 12 but will be limited to 10 starters. The three-week Los Alamitos winter Thoroughbred meeting ends Sunday. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting begins Dec. 26.
KEY CONTENDERS
Easter Fever (Last 3 Beyers: 72-71-58)
◗ Easter Fever was third in two optional claimers at five furlongs on turf during the Del Mar autumn meeting. She won on dirt at Santa Anita earlier this year and on the synthetic track at Del Mar in 2014. Easter Fever has one win in seven starts this year, a $50,000 claimer for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in January.
“She runs on anything,” Miller said. “She’s won on dirt, and she’s won on synthetic and ran decent on the grass. Hopefully, she can break through this condition.”
◗ Should Easter Fever lose, she might not be out of action for long.
“There’s a race at Santa Anita,” Miller said. “If she doesn’t win this, we may wheel her back.”
Fast Magoo (Last 3 Beyers: 73-61-62)
◗ Fast Magoo has won her last two starts against claimers – a $12,500 claimer at Santa Anita in October and a starter allowance for $16,000 claimers at Del Mar on Nov. 15. Fast Magoo was claimed by Miller on Oct. 24.
◗ There is a simple strategy for jockey Edwin Maldonado aboard Fast Magoo. She will challenge for the lead.
“There is no rating her,” Miller said. “We’ll take them as fast as we can as far as we can.”
◗ Fast Magoo, 4, led throughout a maiden special weight race for California-bred fillies at six furlongs at Del Mar in November 2014. She was trained by Vladimir Cerin at the time.
Desert Thief (Last 3 Beyers: 60-73-51)
◗ Desert Thief has been second in two optional claimers for California-breds since being claimed for $32,000 by trainer Bill Spawr at Del Mar in August. Desert Thief was beaten a nose in a six-furlong race at Santa Anita on Oct. 12 and by 3 1/2 lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 14.
◗ Desert Thief, 3, is co-owned by Spawr, Abraham Ponce, and Thomas Sanford, who owned the filly briefly last fall. They claimed her for $20,000 last January and won a $25,000 claimer at Santa Anita on March 15 but lost her via claim in that race. Desert Thief was trained by Hector Palma through the spring and summer before being claimed again by Spawr in August.