Miller's millionaire Stormy Liberal wins again

In a replay of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint contested at Del Mar last fall, stretch-running Stormy Liberal defeated stablemate Richard's Boy in a stakes race on the grass at the seaside racetrack.

Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy are both trained by Peter Miller and based at the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall. Stormy Liberal provided Miller with his first Breeders' Cup victory when he rallied to beat Richard's Boy by a head in the $1 million Turf Sprint, a five-furlong dash held Nov. 4, 2017.

The stakes weren't as high Aug. 17 when the two 6-year-old geldings met in the $88,840 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on the turf. Although the result was the same, Stormy Liberal's winning margin was smaller as he prevailed by a nose in :55.66.

Stormy Liberal, who won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprit as a 30-1 long shot, was the 9-5 favorite in the Green Flash and returned $5.60. Ridden by Joel Rosario in the Breeders' Cup, Stormy Liberal was urged to victory in the Green Flash by the sizzling Drayden Van Dyke, who Aug. 19 tied the Del Mar record for most wins on a single card by a jockey when he scored with seven of his eight mounts.

Stormy Liberal is owned in partnership by David Bernsen and Rockingham Ranch (the sole owner of Richard's Boy). The Kentucky-bred son of Stormy Atlantic earned $47,160 for the win – his sixth career stakes tally – and the payday boosted his earnings to $1,308,930.

Stormy Liberal, who has 10 wins and eight runner-up tries in 28 career outings, improved to 3-for-3 on the Del Mar turf course. Richard's Boy has nine wins and nine second-place finishes in 32 career starts and also possesses an impressive bankroll of $913,055.

Miller had one other winner during week five of Del Mar's summer meeting, the 2-year-old colt Savagery, who ran away with the first race Aug. 15. With jockey Joe Talamo aboard, Savagery won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden-claiming race by 11 lengths in 1:04.58 and paid $8.60. Rockingham Ranch owns Savagery.

Miller held a 21-14 lead over Doug O'Neill in Del Mar training standings through 25 days of racing at the summer meeting, a 36-day affair that runs through Labor Day, Sept. 3.

O'Neill won the first race Aug. 18 with San Luis Rey-based Splashy Kisses, who posted a 5 3/4-length victory in a six-furlong maiden allowance race. Ridden by Rosario, Splashy Kisses crossed the wire in 1:11.21 and returned $16.20 after being dismissed at 7-1 in the wagering.

Jet Set Ruler, a 3-year-old colt stabled in trainer Richard Baltas' barn at San Luis Rey, captured the fifth race Aug. 17. With Hall of Famer Gary Stevens in the saddle, Jet Set Ruler rallied from ninth in a field of 12 to win a one-mile maiden allowance race by one length in 1:36.40. Jet Set Ruler paid $13.20.