Miller sees Arms Runner as two-turn graded stakes winner

ARCADIA, Calif. - Arms Runner became the latest turf sprint stakes winner for trainer Peter Miller with a win in Saturday’s $79,190 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Miller has a longterm plan to develop Arms Runner into a graded stakes winner around two turns by the end of the summer. The Del Mar summer meeting has a stakes schedule that emphasizes turf races for 3-year-olds, ending with the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3. The first stakes for the division is the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at a mile on July 19, opening day.

“The Oceanside is what we’re shooting for,” Miller said.

Owned by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, Arms Runner is unbeaten in two starts, having won a maiden race April 20. In the Desert Code Stakes, Arms Runner ($5.20) closed from fifth in a field of seven to finish 1 1/2 lengths in front of 6-5 favorite Cistron.

By Overdriven, Arms Runner was purchased for $525,000 at the 2016 Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training. Miller said he went beyond his typical price range to acquire Arms Runner.

“We’ve been high on the horse,” Miller said. “I stuck my neck on the line when we bought the horse.”

Miller has won five stakes on the hillside turf course this year. Stormy Liberal has accounted for three of the wins: the Clocker’s Corner in January, Joe Hernandez in March, and Siren Lure Stakes last month. Conquest Farenheit won the Baffle Stakes in February on the hillside turf course.

Stormy Liberal is a candidate for the Grade 2 Daytona Stakes on the hillside May 27. Conquest Farenheit, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 6, is being pointed to the Grade 2 Penn Mile for 3-year-olds on turf at Penn National on June 3.

Miller has two runners bound for Pimlico this weekend. Richard’s Boy, fifth in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai on March 25, is entered for Friday’s $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint. Bobby Abu Dhabi, who was scratched from Saturday’s Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita, will be entered for the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs Saturday.