Roy H, foot healed, is ready to resume training

Roy H, the champion sprinter the last two years, will resume training after missing a scheduled start in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen Sprint in Dubai in March because of a foot ailment.

Trainer Peter Miller said Friday that Roy H is likely to have a single prep before the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, a race he won at Del Mar in 2017 and at Churchill Downs last year. Miller said he is targeting the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in early October.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, Roy H is currently at Trifecta Farm, near Miller’s base at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County. Roy H will rejoin Miller’s stable next week, but will not race at the upcoming Del Mar summer meeting, Miller said on Friday.

Roy H won the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar on Jan. 19 in his only start this year. He was withdrawn from the $2 million Golden Shaheen two days before the race because of a sore foot. The foot needed longer to heal than expected.

“The foot was stubborn,” Miller said. “Something finally broke out of the bottom. Now he’s good. We’re letting the foot grow out and giving him some R&R.

“I think it was just an abscess that was buried deep.”

Roy H, a 7-year-old gelding, has won 10 of 23 starts and earned $3,139,765.

Stormy Liberal, the champion turf male of 2018, is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 17, Miller said. Owned by Bernsen and Rockingham Ranch, Stormy Liberal was third in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at six furlongs on turf in Dubai on March 30, losing by two lengths to Blue Point.

Earlier this month, Blue Point won two Group 1 sprint races at Royal Ascot in a five-day span.