ARCADIA, Calif. – Midnight Transfer has shown hints in his brief career that he can be effective as a sprinter and a miler. It would be ideal if he were a little bit of both for Saturday’s $200,000 San Carlos Stakes over seven furlongs at Santa Anita.
“I just hope he’s good at seven-eighths,” trainer Carla Gaines said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Private Zone has been second in three consecutive sprint stakes in Southern California since early November, leading into the stretch in each start before getting caught.
The losses have not deterred trainer Doug O’Neill, who hopes to run Private Zone in the $2 million Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 30. A win in Saturday’s $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita by Private Zone would make that a more attractive adventure.
“He’s going to run big,” O’Neill said.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita racing officials were informed Thursday by the American Graded Stakes Committee that the Daytona Stakes run Dec. 29 will retain Grade 3 status, despite being switched from grass to dirt. Turf stakes moved to the main track are automatically downgraded one level, but also subject to re-evaluation.
With a 2-year-old and a veteran 4-year-old, trainer Peter Miller won races at Santa Anita on Saturday with horses who could be part of major stakes in coming months.
Miller won a maiden race over a mile on the main track with Appealing Tale, who was racing around two turns for the first time. Later in the day, Comma to the Top won the sixth race of his career in the $100,000 Daytona Stakes over six furlongs.
ARCADIA, Calif. - With a new jockey, Comma to the Top was up to his old habits on Saturday, racing bravely on the lead to win the $100,000 Daytona Stakes on a wet-fast main track at Santa Anita.
Comma to the Top won his sixth stakes in the Daytona, and surpassed $1 million in career earnings. He has earned $1,027,696 in his 25-race career.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Corey Nakatani celebrated his 42nd birthday in style on Sunday at Santa Anita by guiding favored Comma to the Top to a front-running victory in the $66,000 Big Bear Handicap, an overnight for older horses.
Comma to the Top ($4.80) just lasted to win by a half-length over Tres Borrachos, with Jaycito a neck farther back in third in the field of five. Shaun Washington and Riveting Reason were far back.
Comma to the Top completed one mile on the fast main track in 1:35.98 following splits of 23.48 seconds, 46.53, and 1:10.31.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Strategy is not a secret for Comma to the Top, the favorite in the $65,000 Big Bear Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita.
“We’re going to put him on the lead,” trainer Peter Miller said. “For this kind of race, I think we’ve got no other choice. We’ll be winging. We’ll be in front.”
No kidding. Five horses entered the Big Bear, a stakes at a mile on the main track that Comma to the Top can win if he carries his speed.
Miller is confident the 4-year-old gelding will stay, even though he has not won a route race since he was 2.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A million-dollar turf sprint will be run Nov. 3 at Santa Anita, but the locals won’t know until Friday if they are good enough for the Breeders’ Cup.
A field of 13 entered the Grade 3, $100,000 Eddie D Stakes on Friday, opening day of the Santa Anita autumn meet. It is a six-figure prep race with seven-figure ramifications, and multiple stakes winner Comma to the Top is among the principal starters.
[SANTA ANITA: Get opening-day PPs and watch the full card live]
DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Peter Miller had the Grade 1 winner Comma to the Top entered in an optional claimer on Thursday, but scratched him in favor of a start in Sunday’s $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes over six furlongs.
The Grade 1 Bing Crosby drew five, led by Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, and The Factor, a five-time stakes winner. Comma to the Top is co-owned by Gary Barber, who also has a partnership share in Don Tito, another Bing Crosby entrant. Capital Account was also entered.
Comma to the Top, who finished last of 19 in the Kentucky Derby last Saturday, will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in November, if a pending ankle operation does not require a lengthy recovery, trainer Peter Miller said Tuesday.
Comma to the Top is scheduled to undergo surgery next week to have a bone chip removed from an ankle by Dr. Wayne McIlraith at a clinic in Cypress, Calif. The projected recovery time ranges from six to eight weeks to three months, Miller said.
