Miller hoping for better luck on Pegasus card
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Peter Miller had high hopes of winning a couple of stakes on the Pegasus World Cup undercard last year at Gulfstream Park, but he never got the chance. Miller scratched Stormy Liberal, Painting Corners, and Surrender Now from their respective turf sprints when heavy rain forced them to a soupy main track.
Miller is back at Gulfstream, this time with Mo Forza for the Pegasus Turf and a pair of major contenders in Spiced Perfection in the Grade 2 Inside Information and Gray Magician in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper.
“I wasn’t a happy camper last year,” said Miller. “All these races that we’re in look really tough, but we’re hoping to go home this year in a much better frame of mind.”
Inside Information (race 9)
Spiced Perfection, a California-bred 5-year-old, brings easily the top credentials to the $200,000 Inside Information, a seven-furlong race that drew 12 fillies and mares. Miller began training her about a year ago after she was purchased privately by a three-way partnership.
“She’s just been outstanding,” said Miller, referring to four graded wins from her last seven starts. “Obviously she’s in good form, and she’s trained right along since her last race.”
Javier Castellano will be back aboard Spiced Perfection when they break from post 7 in the 42nd Inside Information, which leads off a pick four wager ending with the two Pegasus races. Castellano rode the $1.2 million earner in the Grade 1 Madison and Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland and the Grade 3 Go for Wand at Aqueduct, all of them victories.
“Javier’s got a lot of confidence in her,” said Miller. “He’ll see how the race shapes up and take it from there.”
Top threats to upset the California invader include Pink Sands, who launched a torrid rally to win the Grade 3 Rampart here six weeks ago for Shug McGaughey, and Blamed, who has gone unraced since winning the Grade 3 Royal Delta as an odds-on favorite here last February for Bill Mott.
Fringe players in the Inside Information include J P’s Delight and Nonna Madeline, both exiting good-looking scores over easier.
Fred W. Hooper (race 7)
Gray Magician is just one of many possibilities in what shapes up as the deepest race of the entire Pegasus card. A full gate of 14 older horses is entered in the $150,000 Hooper, which goes at a one-turn mile on the main track.
Except for a last-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Gray Magician was a steady performer for much of 2019, particularly in late summer when he won the Ellis Park Derby and was a just-miss second to Spun to Run in the Smarty Jones at Parx Racing. His most recent race, however, was a downer, as he finished fifth in the Dec. 28 San Antonio at Santa Anita.
“He missed about a month of training after he got sick last fall,” said Miller. “He’s never really run well at Santa Anita anyway, and he may have been a little short for that last race. Now it looks like he’s back to himself.”
Among the other top considerations in this 34th running of the Hooper is Free Enterprise, a lightly raced 5-year-old making his stakes debut after finishing first or second in all five prior starts, all in New York. The gelded son of Curlin earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in a maiden triumph at Belmont Park in September.
“His numbers say he fits well in this race,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He’s a horse we’ve always thought a lot of. His career got started late due to several physical problems that just needed time and patience to overcome.”
Other alternatives include Tale of Silence, who got a 103 Beyer when second in the Bold Ruler at Belmont in October; Phat Man, second in the Harlan’s Holiday here six weeks ago; Epic Dreamer, a romping allowance winner here last month; and the Dale Romans trio of Rare Form, Seven Trumpets, and Dak Attack.
The Hooper is named for the legendary owner-breeder whose first horse was Hoop Jr., winner of the 1945 Kentucky Derby. Hooper died in August 2000 at age 102.
The Hooper is the first leg of the 20-cent Rainbow 6, which will be subject to a mandatory pool disbursement Sunday.
