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San Luis Rey trainer Miller is second best at Del Mar

Peter Miller, who maintains a racing stable at the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall on a year round basis, was the second-leading trainer at the Del Mar summer meeting that concluded Labor Day, Sept. 5.

Miller saddled 21 winners during the 39-day session to take runner-up honors behind Phil D'Amato, who topped the trainer standings with 23 victories. Richard Baltas, who also operates a stable at San Luis Rey, took third in the standings with 20 wins.

Miller recorded 16 of his wins with horses that had prepped at San Luis Rey for the Del Mar season. During the final racing week of the meeting, Aug. 31 through Sept. 5, Miller shipped four horses from Bonsall to Del Mar for victories – Altaira, Distinctive B, Mesa Sky, and St. Joe Bay.

Altaira, making her first start since April 28, won the eighth race on Aug. 31. Ridden by apprentice Austin B. Solis, Altaira captured the six-furlong claiming race for fillies and mares by a half-length in 1:10.45 and paid $7.60 as the 5-2 favorite in a field of 10. A 4-year-old filly, Altaira has finished in the money in 11 of her 13 races.

The 5-year-old gelding Distinctive B posted an easy victory under jockey Tyler Baze in the second race on Sept. 1. A close second in his previous start on July 22, Distinctive B romped home by 3 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong claiming event for 3-year-olds and up and paid $17.00 after stopping the timer in an impressive 1:08.15.

Mesa Sky lit up the tote board on Sept. 4 when he returned from an 11-month layoff to win the ninth race, a 5 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claiming dash for 3-year-olds and up. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Mesa Sky edged fellow longshot Tough Sunday by a half-length and returned $44.80 after being sent to the gate at odds of 21-1. A 3-year-old gelding, Mesa Sky hit the wire in 1:02.76.

Desormeaux was also aboard St. Joe Bay, who won the seventh race on Sept. 5. St. Joe Bay came from just off the pace to take the one-mile allowance/optional claiming race by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:36.17. The 4-year-old gelding paid $8.40.

Baltas scored with two San Luis Rey runners during closing week – Tiz a Kiss, who captured the seventh race on Sept. 1, and Ponder Lea, who was victorious in the seventh race on Sept. 3.

Tiz a Kiss paid $7.00 after winning a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race by 1 3/4 lengths under Desormeaux in 1:34.83. Ponder Lea, ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, returned $24.60 after upsetting 11 rivals in a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming sprint. It was the second straight win at Del Mar for Ponder Lea, who was timed in 1:09.69.

Pied N True and So Heres the Thing, a pair of fillies who trained at San Luis Rey in June and July, also reached the winner's circle during closing week. Pied N True, trained by Matt Chew, won the sixth race on Sept. 1, and So Heres the Thing, from the barn of Scott Rollins, took the first race on Sept. 4.

Pied N True paid $7.80 after winning a six-furlong maiden-allowance race by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:10.66 under Drayden Van Dyke. So Heres the Thing, ridden by Rito Almanza, returned $32.80 after edging Spring Heat by a head in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden-claiming sprint that was completed in 1:06.07.

The San Luis Rey Training Center had a strong showing at Del Mar's prestigious summer meeting as horses that trained at the Bonsall facility racked up 38 victories.

Del Mar will present its 2016 fall racing season Nov. 11 through Dec. 4. Post time will be 12:30 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, when first post will be 11 a.m.

 

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