Royal Ascot may be next international target for Miller horses

ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainer Peter Miller had his first starters in Dubai last week. He may send runners to the Royal Ascot meeting in England for the first time in June.

Miller said this week he is considering Group 1 races at Royal Ascot for three of his stakes winners – Conquest Farenheit, Richard’s Boy, and Stormy Liberal.

Richard’s Boy, a three-time stakes winner, was fifth in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at six furlongs on a straightaway turf course at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 25. He is a candidate for the $500,000 King’s Stand at a straightaway five furlongs at Royal Ascot on June 20.

“He ran well on the straightaway against top horses,” Miller said.

Stormy Liberal, who has won consecutive stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita this year, will be considered for the $750,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes on a straightaway six furlongs on June 24.

Conquest Farenheit has won consecutive stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita and is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 6. After that, he may run in the Commonwealth Cup at six furlongs for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot on June 23.

In Dubai, the Miller-trainer St. Joe Bay was fourth in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on dirt after leading in the final quarter-mile of the $2 million race. He earned $100,000.

Miller said the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4 is a year-end goal for St. Joe Bay.

“We’ll look at the Breeders’ Cup and work backward,” he said.