Summer Front looks to rebound, repeat in Miami Mile

MIAMI – Summer Front will attempt to rebound from a rare poor performance in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap when he returns to Calder on Saturday to defend his title in the Grade 3 Miami Mile Handicap.

Summer Front will carry the highweight of 121 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Miami Mile, just one more than he toted to a 1 1/2-length victory in his local debut in this race last year. The Miami Mile was one of two Grade 3 wins for Summer Front in just five starts in 2013, along with the Cliff Hanger at Monmouth Park. His best performance of the season may have come in a loss, when beaten a nose by Silentio in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Summer Front, a well-traveled son of War Front, earned his first Grade 2 victory this winter at Gulfstream Park when rallying to a popular three-quarter-length decision in the Fort Lauderdale. That performance made him the 2-1 favorite in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, but he was never a serious factor, beating just one horse while finishing six lengths behind upset winner Lochte.[bc_video_id:321723:]

“His last race was disappointing,” said Christophe Clement, who trains Summer Front for the Waterford Stable. “He came back sore in behind after the race, so we just gave him a little time, and he’s been training a lot better the last two weeks. He’s had two very nice works, and although we might be running him in this race one work short, he’s doing very well. Physically, he’s a much stronger and better-looking horse than he was when he won this race a year ago.”

The Miami Mile lured a full field of 12, plus one also-eligible and a pair of main-track-only entrants. Clement is one of several Northern-based trainers who have left horses behind to participate in the race, along with Todd Pletcher, who sends out Travelin Man, and George Weaver with Monument Hill.

Travelin Man was a multiple stakes winner on dirt before trying turf for the first time this winter at Gulfstream, where he finished a troubled and fast-closing second going five furlongs in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. He was unable to duplicate that effort 25 days later when finishing fifth, also at five furlongs, in the Silks Run overnight stakes.

“I thought he ran very well the first time on the grass, and his second start is a little better than it looks on paper since he didn’t get a great trip, and it’s hard to make up ground going five furlongs on that course,” Pletcher said. “I just felt the way he finished the first time and galloped out the second that he’ll handle more ground.”

Monument Hill returned from a seven-month vacation to win a $50,000 claiming race over the Gulfstream turf March 21. The Miami Mile will mark his first start against stakes competition since finishing eighth in the Grade 3 Red Bank last spring at Monmouth.

Alley Oop Oop, who finished fourth, 3 1/4 lengths behind Summer Front, in the 2013 Miami Mile, will look to avenge that defeat Saturday while seeking his first victory since capturing a restricted stakes last July at Gulfstream.

Hey Leroy, who has been a workhorse and a model of consistency all winter for trainer Manny Azpurua, is in peak form and brings a two-race winning streak into the Miami Mile.

Rounding out the field are the speedy Dad’z Laugh, South American import Buffalo, Padilla, Dangerous Lad, Decisive Moment, Midnight Cello, and Grand Tito. Csaba and Flatter This were entered for the main track only, and Tale of the Heart is an also-eligible.