Miller duo both figure in Thunder Road

Hembree was claimed for $62,500 at Churchill Downs in November and earned $120,000 for owner Tom Kagele and trainer Peter Miller with a win in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes for turf sprinters on Jan. 1 at Santa Anita.

The immediate economics have worked out. Saturday, Hembree will start in a competitive running of the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes, a $100,000 mile turf race that will determine the course of action Kagele and Miller take with the 7-year-old horse in March.

Options include the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 6 at Santa Anita or the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on turf on March 27 in Dubai. A successful race Saturday is vital to those plans, five weeks after the Hernandez.

“The timing is good for him,” Miller said.

Hembree drew the outside in a field of eight that includes stakes winners Bob and Jackie, Campaign, Hit the Road, Restrainedvengence, and Sombeyay, as well as Border Town and Award Winner, the first two finishers of an allowance race on turf on Jan. 8.

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Hembree closed from last of seven to win the 6 1/2-furlong Hernandez by three-quarters of a length for his third stakes win in his 40th start.

Sombeyay, also trained by Miller, drew the rail in the Thunder Road for his California stakes debut. Sombeyay won an allowance race at a mile on turf Jan. 15 by leading throughout.

“I think they both have good chances,” Miller said of Hembree and Sombeyay.

Jockey Juan Hernandez will ride Sombeyay, replacing Flavien Prat who is riding Border Town. Hernandez could have Sombeyay on the lead in the Thunder Road, although Miller expects Bob and Jackie to set the pace.

“We can sit second or third,” Miller said. “I’ll leave it up to Juan.”

Border Town, who races from off the pace, overcame a slow start on Jan. 8 to win by a half-length over Award Dinner. Trained by Richard Mandella, Border Town was gelded in September. The recent win was his third victory in the last year.

“That race was big the other day,” Mandella said. “I’m hoping to get the same one back or better.

“He’s always made us think he was that good. He had some questionable races a few times, and we gelded him. I think that’s made him a better horse.”

Hit the Road and Bob and Jackie won restricted stakes at Del Mar on consecutive days last July.

Hit the Road has not started since a win in the Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf at Del Mar. He was sidelined with a minor injury after that race.

Bob and Jackie is winless in three starts, all Grade 2 stakes, since a win in the Wickerr Stakes at a mile at Del Mar in July. Bob and Jackie set the pace in the San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 2, but was beaten by 2 1/4 lengths by Anothertwistafate.

Campaign has not raced since a second in the Temperece Hill Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Oaklawn Park last March. Trainer John Sadler said on Thursday that the Thunder Road is a prep for longer stakes next month.