Miller Remains Hot With Texas Wedge in Joe Hernandez
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Texas Wedge picks up his first stakes win in the Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Peter Miller began 2020 how he ended 2019: by winning stakes on the turf at Santa Anita Park. The trainer, who wrapped up last year with victories from Mo Forza in the Dec. 28 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) and Laura's Light in the Dec. 29 Blue Norther Stakes, picked up his first stakes victory of the new year when Texas Wedge stalked and pounced to defeat late-running Double Touch in the $202,500 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita.
Though the race ended auspiciously, the early running proved rough. After breaking alertly, Texas Wedge was shuffled back to fifth in traffic down the backstretch as longshot Bay Muzik bounded away from the pack with an opening quarter in: 22.09 in the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint. Steadied down the backstretch under Flavien Prat, Texas Wedge tugged at restraint.
Once the field hit the turn and Bay Muzik turned up the heat with a half-mile in in 44.60, congestion in the race minimized and Texas Wedge moved into fourth along the inside and third in the stretch. Then it was time to cut loose. Moving three wide down the lane, he took command with about a sixteenth of a mile remaining and lasted for a three-quarter-length victory.
"Texas Wedge got jostled around. He broke super sharp, and we didn't want him that close," Miller said. "But Flavien did a great job, as always, and got him to settle and made that run."
Texas Wedge raced 5 1/2 furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:02.47, paying $6.20 as the favorite in the field of 10.
"This is a good way to start off the New Year," said Prat. "It's nice to win a race like this for Peter. We broke sharp and he was a little tough with me on the backside, but once I got him covered up, he dropped the bit and relaxed beautifully. He's a very consistent horse and at this distance, he's really tough."
The Joe Hernandez was the first stakes win from 13 starts for Texas Wedge, a 5-year-old Colonel John gelding who was third in the June 1 Mighty Beau Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in his first start as a 4-year-old. Later in the year, he won an allowance in a grass sprint at Churchill. At 2 and 3, he raced exclusively in California.
"Well, when turf racing stopped in Kentucky (for the winter), it was either turn him out or bring him home, and we wanted to bring him home," Miller said.
Miller won the Joe Hernandez for the second time. He won it in 2017 with Stormy Liberal, the eventual winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) in 2017 and 2018. Stormy Liberal, retired after a winless 2019, was champion male turf horse of 2018.
Double Touch rallied from ninth to edge Bay Muzik by a head for the place. Blitzkrieg, one of three graded winners in the race along with True Valour and Legends of War, finished fourth.
Another Miller trainee, Captain Scotty, chased the pace before fading to fifth, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths.
Grinning Tiger, Tribalist, True Valour, Legends of War, and Carnivorous rounded out the finish.
Owned by Altamira Racing Stable, Rafter JR Ranch, STD Racing Stable, and A. Miller, Texas Wedge improved his record to 5-3-2. The $120,000 winner's prize elevated his earnings to $313,530.
Texas Wedge was acquired by his trainer for $30,000 at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale from the Richardson Bloodstock consignment. The year before, he was a $27,000 buy at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Mike Neatherlin when consigned by Elm Tree Farm. He is the only winner from three foals to race from the Political Force mare Callmenancy.