Southern California: Miller hoping to go from strength to strength

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Time almost certainly has run out for Peter Miller to win the training title at the final meeting at Betfair Hollywood Park.

With three days of racing remaining before the end of the meeting on Sunday, Miller trails leader Bob Baffert by four wins, 16-12, and was in pursuit of Doug O’Neill and John Sadler, who had 13 wins each.

Miller and Baffert are having outstanding meetings. Baffert has had 50 runners, winning with 32 percent of his starters. Miller has had 55 runners, winning with 22 percent of his starters. By comparison, Sadler has started 63 horses, while O’Neill has run 121.

Miller said he hopes to add to his total this weekend, but was realistic about what he can accomplish in the standings of this memorable season.

“I’d have to go on a hot streak and [Baffert] would have to go cold,” Miller said.

Miller’s focus this week is as much on the opening of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting on Thursday. For Thursday’s $300,000 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs, Miller starts Heir of Storm, who won an optional claimer over seven furlongs at Santa Anita in a 37-1 upset Nov. 1. The victory was not a surprise to Miller, who backed the colt.

“I did okay myself,” Miller said with a smile.

Heir of Storm led throughout the race.

“He can run from off the pace,” Miller said. “I don’t think he needs the lead.”

A win in the Malibu would be tough, though not out of the question. Heir of Storm, who was bought earlier this year by Wachtel Stable and Leonard Friedman, was fourth in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes and 11th in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in 2012.

In the Malibu, Heir of Storm is part of a field expected to include Bakken, Car Burglar, Demonic, Distinctiv Passion, Flashback, Holy Lute, San Onofre, and Zeewat.

Zeewat and Flashback were first and second in the Damascus Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs Nov. 2.

Saturday, Miller starts Kukaluka in the $200,000 Soviet Problem Stakes over seven furlongs for California-bred 2-year-old fillies. By Comic Strip, Kukaluka was recently bought by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber. The filly ran three times this fall at Golden Gate Fields for breeders William and Jill Gray and trainer Greg James, winning a maiden race over a mile on turf.

“So far, I like her,” Miller said. “She’s smart and she’s sensible.”