Almost three years after being claimed for $40,000, C Z Rocket can surpass $2 million in career earnings with a victory in Friday's eighth race at Oaklawn, a $108,000 allowance sprint for older horses in Hot Springs, Ark.
C Z Rocket will be making his 9-year-old debut in the six-furlong race, which also attracted multiple stakes winner Necker Island and Grade 3 winner Morello.
“This was a good spot to get him started,” Miller said Monday afternoon. “I'm not sure if I've got him 100 percent cranked up, but it just made a lot of sense. We know he's run well over there and can't get an allowance race like that over here in California.”
C Z Rocket has bankrolled $1,711,344 since Southern California-based trainer Peter Miller, on behalf of owner Tom Kagele, claimed C Z Rocket for $40,000 out of a fifth-place finish in an April 30, 2020, sprint at Oaklawn.
In 18 starts for Miller, C Z Rocket has eight victories, five seconds and three thirds. C Z Rocket, after being claimed, set a 6 ½-furlong track record (1:15) in a July 2020 allowance race at Keeneland and captured two Grade 2 events later that year in Southern California. He added two more stakes victories in 2021 at Oaklawn – $200,000 Hot Springs and $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3). He was also runner-up in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in 2020 and 2022. Both 6-furlong races were at Keeneland. C Z Rocket has won 12 of 35 starts overall and earned $1,952,641.
“He's something,” Miller said. “He's amazing, really amazing. Just his energy, his soundness, his ability – he's defying Father Time.”
C Z Rocket, a gelded son of the late City Zip, hasn't started since finishing second to future Eclipse Award winner Elite Power in the Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 5. C Z Rocket launched his 2022 campaign with a third-place finish in a January allowance sprint at Oaklawn. Prior to the 2022 Breeders' Cup Sprint, he finished second, beaten a nose, in the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) at 6 furlongs Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.
C Z Rocket has five published workouts at San Luis Rey Downs leading up to his 2023 debut, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:00.40 Feb. 7. C Z Rocket, the 7-5 program favorite, is scheduled to break from post 4 under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana.
Miller said Friday's start could be C Z Rocket's bridge to races like the $200,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) March 18 at Oaklawn and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 15. Both races are 6 furlongs. A trip to the United Arab Emirates could also be in play with a strong performance, Miller said.
“We would, depending how he runs, consider all sorts of options – coming back to Oaklawn, perhaps, Dubai,” Miller said. “We've got nothing other than Friday on the schedule.”
Probable post time for Friday's eighth race is 4:10 p.m. (Central).
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