Miller mapping out Middle East schedule for Ginobili and C Z Rocket

Ginobili, who won the second stakes of his career in the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 14, is likely to race in the Middle East in coming months.

Trainer Peter Miller said on Friday that races in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 25 and Dubai on March 25 are under consideration.

The options include a start in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap, a $600,000 race at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 18, followed by the Group 2 Godolphin Mile or Group 1 Golden Shaheen Sprint at six furlongs in Dubai.

Another option is the Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint at six furlongs in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 25, which has a purse of $1.5 million, followed by the $1 million Godolphin Mile or $2 million Golden Shaheen.

“We’re going to talk to the owners and see what makes sense,” Miller said. “It’s nice to have a horse that can do different things.”

Owned by the partnership of Slam Dunk Racing, Jerry McClanahan, and Michael Nentwig, Ginobili won the one-mile Fifth Season Stakes by four lengths in his second start for Miller.

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Ginobili was previously trained by Richard Baltas, who is currently suspended by the California Horse Racing Board for medication violations committed last spring. For Baltas, Ginobili won the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in August 2021 and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in November of that season.

Miller said C Z Rocket is under consideration for the Golden Shaheen. An 8-year-old gelding, C Z Rocket was second at 31-1 to Elite Power in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland in November in his most recent start.

Co-owned by Miller, Madaket Stable, Tom Kagele, and Gary Barber, C Z Rocket worked three furlongs in 36.40 seconds at the San Luis Rey Downs training center on Thursday, his second workout after a brief autumn rest.

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