Miller takes rare swing at Big A with Home Base

Southern California-based trainer Peter Miller will have a rare Aqueduct starter on Friday in Home Base.

Home Base goes in the sixth race, a conditioned allowance for 3-year-olds and up that carries an optional claiming price of $80,000. It will be run over seven furlongs, and is one of two high-end offerings on the card.

The eighth is a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up over 6 1/2 furlongs. The probable favorite is More Graytful, who defeated New York-breds at the distance last out at Aqueduct with a Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

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Home Base invades from Miller’s division in Kentucky to be part of a seven-horse field that includes fellow stakes winners Celtic Chaos, Tale of Silence, Dr Blarney, and Mihos. Miller has been shopping for a spot for Home Base – and some of the other members of his Kentucky division – with the meet now closed at Churchill.

“We’re looking around at places like New York and Maryland until Oaklawn starts,” he said.

Home Base was a $62,500 claim in October. In his first start for his new connections, he was third by three-quarters of a length in a November conditioned allowance at Churchill.

“Tom Kagele, the owner of C Z Rocket, picked him out,” Miller said. “He picks his own claims.”

Home Base earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92 in the November race, captured by Grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle. Home Base set a quick pace, lost his advantage, and came back on in the one-turn mile.

“We learned he’s got some speed that we didn’t really know that we had,” Miller said. “But he certainly doesn’t need the lead. He’s quite tactical.

“And he really fought on gamely. That was a pleasant surprise, to see the fight he showed.”

Home Base, who captured the $60,000 Rail Splitter over 6 1/2 furlongs in February at Gulfstream, will be making his first start at Aqueduct.

Miller has had 10 Aqueduct starters dating back to 2013, when Comma to the Top captured the Grade 3 Tom Fool. Last year, Miller sent Spiced Perfection to town to win the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap.

As for Home Base, he’s the latest sprinter claimed by Kagele, who took C Z Rocket in April. C Z Rocket went on to win a pair of Grade 2 races, and in his last start was second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint when racing for Kagele and new partners Madaket Stables and Gary Barber.

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Home Base on Friday will break from post 2 under Pablo Morales.

“He looks like a kind of six and a half to one-turn mile horse to me,” Miller said. “It looks like the distance is good for him Friday. He looks like a pretty solid fit to me.”

Mihos will get support off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler over seven furlongs Oct. 31 at Belmont Park. Trevor McCarthy has the mount for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

Tale of Silence, the winner of the Grade 3 Westchester in 2018 at Belmont, is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Tale of Ekati.

Dr Blarney is a 15-time stakes winner who is looking for career victory No. 23.