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CE CE IS TICKETED FOR BC FILLY & MARE SPRINT
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MILLER HAS TWO BREEDERS’ CUP BULLETS TO FIRE
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BIG DAY FOR TEAM REDDAM AND SIRE NYQUIST
HIRSCH’S HOMEBRED CE CE EYES BC F&M SPRINT, ROMBAUER RETURNING
Bo Hirsch’s multiple Grade I winner Ce Ce, dominating winner of the Grade III Chillingworth Stakes Oct. 3 under a textbook ride by regular pilot Victor Espinoza, remains on course for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, trainer Michael McCarthy reports.
“She’s doing well and Victor fits her and knows her well,” McCarthy said of the 5-year-old mare by Elusive Quality out the Grade I stakes winning Miss Houdini. “They’ve been successful together.”
Espinoza has ridden Ce Ce in 12 of her 14 career races, winning six.
McCarthy also informs that his Preakness-winning Rombauer, idle since running third in the Belmont, recently enjoyed some R&R and is scheduled to return to Santa Anita “in about 10 days.”
MILLER GETTING SET FOR BREEDERS’ CUP NOV. 5 & 6
The best place to try and find Peter Miller at a race track is the Winner’s Circle.
Always a threat to win a training title anywhere he competes on a full-time basis, Miller, who celebrated his 55th birthday on Oct. 2, already ranks among the leaders at Santa Anita with five victories after five days.
Miller’s aspirations to become a jockey were dashed when Mother Nature failed to cooperate, so he worked as a groom when in high school before serving an apprenticeship with legendary trainer Charlie Whittingham and later Mike Mitchell and Don Warren.
Miller presently is focused on the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar, hard by his home in Encinitas, less than six miles from the seaside track as the crow flies. Two of his primary candidates are Mo Forza for the Mile and C Z Rocket for the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.
“Mo Forza came out great from his win in the City of Hope Mile (Oct. 2 at Santa Anita) and we’re looking forward to and excited about the Breeders’ Cup,” Miller said.
Mo Forza, a full horse at age five and a son of Uncle Mo, gained millionaire status with his City of Hope victory and has eight victories from 14 career starts.
“He’s tactical, but if they go real fast, he can sit back. He’s quite a horse,” Miller said.
“We’re considering the Sprint as well as the Dirt Mile for C Z Rocket,” Miller added of the durable seven-year-old gelded son of City Zip, who has won 12 of 29 starts and earned $1.5 million.
C Z Rocket’s forte is stalking rather than being on the lead, a concern for Miller.
“The track profile at Del Mar is for speed,” Miller cautioned, “and it may play against him in the Sprint, so we’re considering the Dirt Mile.”
As to Santa Anita, “so far, so good,” Miller said. “Hopefully, we can keep it going.”
LOUD MOUTH EYES CALIFORNIA FLAG HANDICAP
California-breds will be in Santa Anita’s stakes spotlight next weekend with the presentation of the $100,000 California Distaff Handicap Saturday and the $100,000 California Flag Handicap Sunday. Both are part of the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired runners.
One such Cal-bred is Loud Mouth, claimed for $40,000 in July 2019 and winner of two subsequent restricted stales, the Cary Grant at Del Mar last Nov. 22 and the E.B. Johnston when promoted from second Sept. 12 at Los Alamitos.,
A full horse by Boisterous, the versatile five-year-old is trained by Steve Knapp for principal owner Ron Thomsen.
FINISH LINES: Congratulations are in order for Team Reddam. Owner/breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam captured three races Saturday, in partnership with their go-to rider, Mario Gutierrez, and principal trainer Doug O’Neill, who won four of yesterday’s nine races. Three of the nine winners were sired by Reddam’s 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, who stands for $75,000 at Darley in Lexington, Ky. . . . Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, prepping for a return to turf in the Twilight Derby on Oct. 31, worked five furlongs Saturday in a minute flat for John Sadler . . .Speaking of Runhappy, he sired the winner of yesterday’s Grade II Vosburgh at Belmont Park, 3-year-old Following Sea, who is trained by Todd Pletcher and was ridden by Joel Rosario…There is holiday racing tomorrow. First post time 1 p.m.
