Miller will try to get Om into Breeders' Cup Mile

CYPRESS, Calif. – Om, a four-time stakes winner and millionaire, was recently transferred from longtime trainer Dan Hendricks to Peter Miller with the intent of preparing the 6-year-old for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

A winner of 6 of 27 starts, Om was last of 13 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 19 in his final start for Hendricks. Owned by K.B. Sareen, Om was sent to Miller in the weeks following that race and has had two workouts at Miller’s base at San Luis Rey Downs, including five furlongs in 1:01.80 last Friday.

Miller said Om may start in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 6, or the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile at Keeneland the same day. The winner of the $1 million Shadwell Mile receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile.

“He’s training forwardly and training well,” Miller said. “He came over in great shape. The owner is trying to get to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Om won his first start of the year in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita in February, but has lost his last five outings.

Om was second by a nose in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita and seventh in the 2017 BC Mile at Del Mar.

Miller, 51, led all trainers in wins at the Del Mar summer meeting, and won four stakes.

Miller is preparing several other horses for Breeders’ Cup races, including Conquest Tsunami, Stormy Liberal, and Richard’s Boy for the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 3.

On Sept. 28, the opening day of the Santa Anita autumn meeting, Conquest Tsunami and Stormy Liberal are scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. Richard’s Boy is likely to start in the $100,000 California Flag Stakes at five furlongs on turf on Oct. 20.

“They’re all looking at the Breeders’ Cup, just different ways to get there,” Miller said.

Stormy Liberal, owned by Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, and Richard’s Boy, owned solely by Rockingham Ranch, were first and second in the BC Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November.

On Sept. 29, Miller plans to start Boujie’s Girl in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. Boujie’s Girl was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 1.

Roy H, the winner of the BC Sprint at Del Mar last November, is expected to run Oct. 6 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a race he won in 2017. The winner of the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Sprint on Nov. 3.

Fly to Mars is on course for the City of Hope Mile. Fly to Mars won the California Dreamin’ Handicap for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf in course-record time of 1:39.50 at Del Mar on July 28. Fly to Mars finished second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, but was demoted to third for causing interference in the stretch.

On Saturday at Los Alamitos, Miller won the $100,000 Barretts Debutante with the maiden Kim K, who is owned by Rockingham. Kim K, who was fifth in a maiden special weight race at Del Mar on Sept. 2, was Miller’s first winner of the Los Alamitos meeting and his ninth starter. Miller won 31 races from 116 starters at Del Mar.

“I went from hot to cold in a hurry,” he said.

A filly by Will Take Charge, Kim K will be considered for the $75,000 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 14, Miller said.