Peter Miller | Horse Racing Free Tips

First Stakes Winner for Awtaad Comes in California

Ebeko, who was second in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf in his Stateside debut Sept. 7, went one better and came out on top of a tight one to become the first black-type winner for his Derrinstown Stud-based freshman sire (by Cape Cross {Ire}). A third-up winner for trainer Paddy Twomey at Leopardstown July 16, the bay was acquired privately thereafter and brought to Del Mar, where he showed a completely different running style than he had in Europe to rally from last. Showing a bit more early zip this time to sit perched in third, the bay mounted a four-wide rally into the lane and was one of five who appeared in with a chance at that point. The top three emerged from the pack late, and Ebeko made the last and winning move get up in the final jump.

“We’ve been on an incredible run,” said trainer Peter Miller, whose wins on Saturday included an impressive victory with Mo Forza (Uncle Mo) in the GII City of Hope Mile. “We’ve won with our last four, just everything is falling into place right now. I thought Ricky [Gonzalez] rode an incredible race. We knew this horse was doing well and Ricky saw that the pace was pretty slow, so he had him closer today.

Miller added, “To be honest, there’s no doubt in my mind that he could’ve won much easier today if we didn’t have the new [whip] rules… I’m just being honest… We’re definitely going to look at the [Nov. 6 GI] Breeders’ Cup [Juvenile Turf] with this horse. He deserves it and we’re looking forward to going.”

The winner is out of a half-sister to French Group 2 winner Canticum (GB) (Cacique {Ire}) and hails from the female family of highest-level winners Distant Music, African Rose and Vanlandingham. He has a yearling half-brother by Gleneagles (Ire). Awtaad took the 2016 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas for Shadwell.

ZUMA BEACH S., $101,000, Santa Anita, 10-4, 2yo, 1mT, 1:36.55, fm.
1–EBEKO (IRE), 118, c, 2, by Awtaad (Ire)
                1st Dam: Allegrezza (GB), by Sir Percy (GB)
                2nd Dam: Allegro Viva, by Distant View
                3rd Dam: Musicanti, by Nijinsky II
(20,000gns RNA Ylg ’19 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN.
O-Altamira Racing Stable, CYBT, Marc Lantzman & Michael
Nentwig; B-Roundhill Stud & J. S. Investments (IRE); T-Peter
Miller; J-Ricardo Gonzalez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0,
$106,430. *First black-type winner for freshman sire (by Cape
Cross {Ire}).
2–Tarantino, 120, c, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Without Delay, by
Seeking the Gold. ($610,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC,
Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC,
Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC & Robert E. Masterson;
B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$20,000.
3–Cotopaxi (Ire), 118, c, 2, Sir Prancealot (Ire)–Beth (GB), by
Deportivo (GB). (£22,000 Ylg ’19 GOFFPR). O-Red Baron’s Barn
LLC & Rancho Temescal LLC; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Jeff
Mullins. $12,000.
Margins: NO, 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.40, 3.30, 6.10.
Also Ran: Caisson, Big Fish, Ingest, Dennis Celery.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Heavily Favored Mo Forza Rolls To Another Victory In City Of Hope Mile Stakes

Heavily favored and on his way. That pretty much sums up the performance tendered by Mo Forza in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as the 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo rallied from off the pace to win by 1 3/4 lengths while in-hand under Flavien Prat. Trained by Peter Miller, Mo Forza got a mile on turf in 1:32.09 and he and his connections now eye an engagement in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Breaking alertly from the outside in a field of seven, Mo Forza rated kindly and settled into a fluid rhythm down the backside, about five lengths off pacesetting Blitzkrieg with a half mile to run. Three-deep turning for home, he was hand ridden while lugging in a bit through the lane and won with consummate ease over multiple graded stakes winner Sharp Samurai.

“He pretty much had the same trip as he did in the Del Mar Mile (G2, Aug. 23),” said Prat. “I think he's getting more professional, which is great. Today he showed up again. We can probably go further, but as of right now, he's running pretty well, so I wouldn't change anything.”

A 4 1/4-length winner of the Del Mar Mile Handicap on turf, Mo Forza was off as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10.

“That's him,” said Ruben Alvarado, assistant to Miller. “He relaxes early and then you saw the way he finished up. He ran today just like he did at Del Mar. We're very happy and we're looking forward to the Breeders' Cup.

Bred in Kentucky by former trainer Barry Abrams' Bardy Farm and owned by Bardy Farm and OG Boss, Mo Forza, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed, notched his fifth graded stakes win and he has now won five out of his last six races with four of them over the Santa Anita turf. With six wins from 12 overall starts, he's four for five at one mile on grass and with the winner's share of $120,000, has earnings of $734,460.

Sharp Samurai, who sat a close third behind Blitzkrieg and eventual third-place finisher Bob and Jackie, kept to his task to finish second by 1 1/4 lengths and paid $3.00 and $2.60 as the 7-2 second choice with Juan Hernandez up.

Off at 24-1 with Heriberto Figueroa, Bob and Jackie prevailed by a head over Blitzkrieg and paid $5.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.58, 45.61, 1:08.76 and 1:20.53.

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Sharp Samurai, Mo Forza Face Brazilian Royal Ship In City Of Hope Mile At Santa Anita

Trainer Mark Glatt's venerable 6-year-old gelding Sharp Samurai and Peter Miller's razor sharp 4-year-old colt Mo Forza head a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

A winner of the 2018 City of Hope Mile and most recently a solid second on dirt in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 22, Sharp Samurai will also be cutting back in distance a quarter mile, while Mo Forza, a 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, comes off a stirring 4 1/4-length win on turf in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23.

Along with the top pair, Richard Mandella's promising Brazilian-bred Royal Ship and Val Brinkerhoff's hard knocking Restrainedvengence help make the City of Hope Mile a wide open affair on Saturday.

SHARP SAMURAI
Owner: Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Second, beaten three lengths by Maximum Security in the Pacific Classic, he returns to his preferred surface and retains the services of upstart Juan Hernandez. A huge second, beaten a half length by repeat winner United two starts back on turf in the mile and one eighth G2 Eddie Read Stakes July 26, Sharp Samurai has two seconds and a third from three starts this year and will hope to use the City of Hope Mile as a springboard to a berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland. A winner of five out of his nine starts over the Santa Anita lawn, Sharp Samurai is 8-2-2-2 at one mile on grass. With eight wins from 21 overall starts, he has earnings of $981,270 and will be seeking his fifth graded stakes victory.

MO FORZA
Owner: Bardy Farm & OG Boss
Trainer: Peter Miller
Idle since well beaten in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25, Mo Forza came back ready for Miller on Aug. 23, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 101 in taking the G2 Del Mar Handicap. With top jock Flavien Prat set to ride him back, Mo Forza will be bidding for his sixth win from 12 overall starts. Three for five at one mile on turf at Santa Anita, Mo Forza has won five out of his last six starts, including the G1 Hollywood Derby four starts back on Nov. 30. Bred in Kentucky and owned in-part by former trainer Barry Abrams' Bardy Farm, Mo Forza is out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed and is a four-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $614,460.

ROYAL SHIP
Owner: Fox Hill Farms, Inc. & Siena Farm, LLC
Trainer: Richard Mandella
A Group 1 stakes winner two starts back in his native Brazil, this 4-year-old colt by Midshipman lagged far back early and closed with a rush to be third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23 and he figures to improve by many in his second start with Mandella. With Mike Smith riding him back, Royal Ship seeks his sixth win from nine overall starts.

RESTRAINEDVENGENCE
Owner: Kelly Brinkerhoff & Bob Grayson, Jr.
Trainer: Val Brinkerhoff

Second, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Mo Forza two starts back in the Del Mar Mile Handicap, this hard hitting 5-year-old gelding by the Giant's Causeway stallion Hold Me Back comes off a game head victory in a $200,000 stakes going a mile and one eighth on dirt at Albuquerque Downs as the 4-5 favorite on Sept. 19. Second, beaten a head in last year's City of Hope Mile, Restrainedvengence is equally as effective on turf and dirt and will be ridden back by Ruben Fuentes. With eight wins from 25 starts and earnings of $625,222, he seeks his first graded stakes win in his 26^th career start.

G2 CITY OF HOPE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 12:30 p.m. PT

Sharp Samurai—Juan Hernandez—122
Restrainedvengence—Ruben Fuentes—122
Majestic Eagle—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
Royal Ship—Mike Smith—124
Bob and Jackie—Heriberto Figueroa—122
Blitzkrieg—Abel Cedillo—122
Mo Forza—Flavien Prat–126

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Santa Anita's races can be viewed live and free of charge at santaanita.com.

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C Z Rocket Edges Flagstaff In Santa Anita Sprint Championship

In a head and head thriller, trainer Peter Miller's C Z Rocket prevailed by a hard-fought head over John Sadler's Flagstaff in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., final prep to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 7. Ridden for the first time by Luis Saez, C Z Rocket, who is now unbeaten in five starts with Miller since being claimed for $40,000 last April at Oaklawn Park, covered six furlongs in 1:09.14.

Breaking sharply from his number four post position in a field of five 3-year-olds and up, C Z Rocket was immediately into contention and while under restraint, sat three quarters of a length off Flagstaff as they left the half mile pole.

Turning for home, Flagstaff, with Victor Espinoza up, drifted out a bit, carrying C Z Rocket into the three path and from there, it was game on in the run to the wire, with neither horse giving an inch in great stretch duel.

“I didn't expect to be that close, but he broke so sharp and he took me there,” said the eastern-based Saez. “I decided to let him settle and keep him happy. When I pulled the trigger turning for home, he took off. I love this horse, now he's ready for the real deal.”

A winner of the G2 Pat O'Brien Stakes going seven furlongs on Aug. 29 at Del Mar, C Z Rocket, a 6-year-old Florida-bred gelding by City Zip, was off as the 7-5 favorite and paid $4.80, $2.80 and $2.10.

“There were a lot of things involved in this,” said Miller, who is off to a tremendous start at Santa Anita's Autumn Meet, winning his third stakes dating back to Friday and his fourth overall, good for a tie with Bob Baffert for the lead in the trainer standings. “We recently sold a part of him to Gary Barber and Sol Kumin and I really wanted to win for those two gentlemen. Flavien (Prat) took off him (to ride third place finisher Collusion Illusion) and I wanted to prove that he made the wrong move.

“I just wanted to win this race … It was the owner, Tom Kagele, who picked this horse (to claim on April 30). I wouldn't have picked him, his form was too bad to claim him, but I did like that he had run some fast races in the past … We're definitely leaning toward the Sprint, he's won the last (five) going one turn. We're going to keep him one turn.”

With his second consecutive graded stakes win in-hand, C Z Rocket, who is out of the Successful Appeal mare Successful Sarah, is now 22-9-1-2 and with the winner's share of $120,000, he has earnings of $551,641.

Flagstaff, who ran too good to lose, was off as the third choice in the wagering and paid $3.00 and $2.10.

Ridden by Prat and off at 9-5, Collusion Illusion, who broke from the rail, couldn't go with the top two late and finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Flagstaff while paying $2.10 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.33, 45.27 and 57.13.

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth to the Grade I Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

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