Miller enjoys four-win afternoon at Del Mar

Bonsall-based Peter Miller saddled four winners at Del Mar Nov. 24 and the big day was a key factor in him owning a 12-8 lead over Jerry Hollendorfer in the trainer standings after 12 days of competition at the seaside racetrack's 16-day Fall Festival of Racing, which concludes Dec. 2.

Miller won three races in a row – the second, third and fourth – and then completed his four-bagger with a victory in the ninth and final event.

Miller scored with his first starter of the day when the 2-year-old colt Gray Magician rolled to a 9 1/2-length victory in the second race, a one-mile maiden allowance contest. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Gray Magician was a heavy 1-2 favorite and paid $3.00 after breaking his maiden in 1:38.55.

The 4-year-old gelding Acker provided Miller with another no-sweat win when he posted a four-length victory under jockey Rafael Bejarano in the third race, a 1 1/16-mile turf test. Dismissed at 7-1 in the allowance/optional claiming race, Acker paid $17.00 after crossing the wire in 1:41.15.

The 2-year-old colt Damiano, making his second career start, zipped to a 3 1/4-length win in the fourth race. Damiano took the six-furlong maiden-claiming race in 1:11.94 and returned $3.20 as a big 3-5 favorite. Drayden Van Dyke rode Damiano.

The 3-year-old filly Suspicious Spouse sent Miller home with yet another victory when she came from just off the pace to win the ninth race, a five-furlong turf sprint, by a head over Helen's Tiger in :56.77. Prat rode Suspicious Spouse, who paid $7.60 as the 5-2 favorite in a field of 11.

Miller won a total of seven races during Del Mar's third week of action (Nov. 22-25), including the first race of the week with El Huerfano, who took the Thanksgiving Day opener under Prat. A 6-year-old gelding, El Huerfano paid $2.80 after capturing the 1 1/8-mile contest by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:50.20.

Miller won the fifth race Nov. 23 with C. C. Zipp, a 5-year-old mare that he had claimed our of her previous race for $16,000. Miller entered C. C. Zipp right back for the same $16,000 claiming price in a 5 1/2-furlong dash and she prevailed by three-quarters of length under apprentice jockey Heriberto Figueroa in 1:04.58. C. C. Zipp was timed in 1:04.58, paid $4.20 as the even-money favorite and was claimed by trainer Tim Yakteen.

The 6-year-old gelding Perfectly Majestic provided Miller with his final win of the week when he took the second race Nov. 25. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke in the one-mile turf contest, Perfectly Majestic ended a long losing streak with a neck decision over Blackout. Perfectly Majestic won the allowance/optional claiming race in 1:34.60 and paid $5.20.

Trainer Doug O'Neill won three races during Thanksgiving week with horses he had conditioned at the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall.

O'Neill won the third race Nov. 23 with South Boot Shirley, who took a 5 1/2-furlong maiden-claiming race by 1 3/4 lengths under Prat. A 3-year-old filly, South Boot Shirley broke her maiden in her seventh career start and paid $6.60 after stopping the timer in 1:05.59.

O'Neill had a training double Nov. 25 when his 5-year-old mare Sweet Treat won the first race and his 2-year-old colt Weekly Call took the fourth race.

Sweet Treat, with Figueroa in the irons, won a one-mile starter allowance race in 1:40.31 and paid $8.40 after collecting her third win in 12 outings. Weekly Call, ridden by Geovanni Franco, rallied from seventh in a field of eight to win a one-mile maiden-claiming race on the turf by a neck. Weekly Call was timed in 1:38.28 and returned $9.00 after breaking his maiden in his fourth attempt.