Miller ex-claimers plenty good enough to win soft Palos Verdes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Given the plight of the West Coast sprint division, the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes appears ripe for a claiming horse or for trainer Peter Miller to win the stakes race for a fifth consecutive year.

Or, both.

Miller entered Shashashakemeup and Captain Scotty in the six-furlong Palos Verdes on Saturday at Santa Anita. Though both recently ran in $40,000 or $50,000 claiming races, each has a legit chance in a modest lineup that includes Ax Man and Wildman Jack.

“It’s a little bit of an off year,” Miller acknowledged. “There’s no superstars.”

Miller’s four successive Palos Verdes wins were by St. Joe Bay in 2017, two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Roy H in 2018-19, and Captain Scotty in 2020. This winter, the sprint division is light.

Malibu winner Charlatan goes to the Saudi Cup in February; BC Filly and Mare Sprint winner Gamine returns in spring; Bing Crosby winner Collusion Illusion is sidelined; and Miller-trained BC Sprint runner-up C Z Rocket will campaign at Oaklawn.

It leaves eight in the Palos Verdes, including Miller’s pair. Front-runner Captain Scotty is now 7, with recent figures and placement that indicate he has lost a step since he won the Palos Verdes a year ago. He dropped to $28,000 claiming to win in October, followed by a $40,000 claiming win in December. He scratched from a $40,000 claiming race Jan. l0.

“The owners thought we’d lose him [via claim], and they didn’t want to lose him,” Miller said, explaining the scratch. “They wanted to try him again in this race.”

Captain Scotty is speedy and sharp.

“He’s won his last two, we know he likes Santa Anita, and he’s doing well,” Miller said. “We’ll take them as far as we can.”

Ricky Gonzalez rides Captain Scotty from post 4; he is drawn outside speedster Wildman Jack in post 2. Assuming Captain Scotty and Wildman Jack keep each other company, the race should set up for Shashashakemeup or Ax Man from off the pace.

Miller and owner Tom Kagele claimed Shashashakemeup from a $50,000 claiming win two starts back in Kentucky.

“He had run some fast figures, and we thought there was upside to him,” Miller said.

They were right. Shashashakemeup, now 4 with only 12 starts, improved first start off the claim by finishing second in a highly rated second-level allowance at Churchill. Juan Hernandez rides the colt, whose last-out 96 Beyer Speed Figure is the field’s highest last-out figure. His typical off-the-pace style would play well if Wildman Jack and Captain Scotty hook up.

Ax Man, a fast-working 6-year-old trained by Bob Baffert, will make his first start since July. The Baffert-trained Euroears won the 2011 Palos Verdes off a similar layoff. Ax Man should fire first start back under Tyler Baze.

The other starters in the Palos Verdes are deep closer Pyron, route-to-sprint entrants Shooters Shoot and Take the One O One, and recent second-level allowance winner Kneedeepinsnow. The Palos Verdes is race 7 on a nine-race card.