Miller has high hopes for Bolden, Kookie Gal on Friday's card

Even though they compete in dissimilar categories and employ opposite running styles, the top entrants in the best races Friday at Santa Anita actually share plenty in common.

Peter Miller trains Bolden, the unraced speedster expected to be favored in race 1 for California-bred maiden 2-year-olds. Miller also trains Kookie Gal, the late-running favorite in race 6 for entry-level fillies and mares on turf.

Bolden and Kookie Gal both were bred in California, both will be ridden by Flavien Prat. Beyond trainer, jockey, and origin, another key similarity is price. Bolden and Kookie Gal figure to be among the most heavily backed runners on the Friday card.

“That, I don’t care about,” Miller laughed, referring to odds. “I just want to win.”

Miller might win a pair Friday. Bolden faces seven rivals in race 1, the season’s first five-furlong race for juveniles. Bolden’s rivals include debut runner-up Intense, bred-to-win-early Big Fish, and first-time starters Rousing Slammer and Eagle in the Sky. The race is the fifth juvenile race of the meet, and also the deepest.

Kookie Gal, conversely, faces five modest rivals in race 6, while stretching to a distance she figures to relish.

“I think the mile and one-eighth will hit her right between the eyes,” Miller said.

Kookie Gal’s rivals include distance-proven Catch the Eye, longshot front-runner Nice Ice, and in-form Muchly.

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The Friday card begins with a conspicuous favorite. Bolden is a colt by Square Eddie and working exceptionally well at San Luis Rey Downs.

“He’s a beautiful colt, he does everything easy,” Miller said. “He worked 47 out of the gate, under wraps. Unless there’s a real monster in there, I think he’ll be tough.”

Bolden posted his final work in company with Herd Immunity, a Kentucky-bred 2-year-old nearing his debut. As for Bolden, purchased for $100,000 by Rockingham Ranch last fall at a California yearling sale, he is well-meant.

“My expectations are high,” Miller said. “We’ve got the leading rider on him, and he’s got quite a bit of speed.”

The main rivals for Bolden are Intense, runner-up two weeks ago, and an interesting first-time starter. Big Fish is by Mr. Big, whose juvenile progeny are 4 for 11 first out. Big Fish is trained by David Hofmans, 4 for 15 with debut juveniles the past five years.

In race 6, the 4-year-old filly Kookie Gal was a closing fourth last out in a mile race won by the pacesetter.

“I think she really wants the distance,” Miller said of Kookie Gal. “I think she wants the mile and one-eighth.”

Abel Cedillo rode Kookie Gal last out. Prat regains the mount Friday.

“Abel did nothing wrong, but Prat’s won twice on her, so I figured we’d go with Flavien,” Miller said.

Catch the Eye finished fourth last out at one mile and stretches to the nine-furlong distance of her maiden win two starts back. Muchly finished third last out at one mile. Nice Ice is likely to set the pace, though she faces a challenging course profile – from 26 turf races this season at 1 1/8 miles, only one winner led wire to wire.