Judge Miller blazing to an 11-length win. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
In a day of standout performances at Santa Anita, Judge Miller may have topped them all Saturday.
Judge Miller, a 4-year-old full brother to multiple Grade I winner Clairiere, uncorked a scintillating effort for trainer Mark Glatt when rolling to an 11-length victory in an entry level allowance at a mile. It was Judge Miller’s first-time facing winners and first time going two turns.
According to Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free, Judge Miller’s winning time of 1:35.20 earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. It matches the highest Beyer posted by any horse this year, Free added.
“It was pretty darn impressive,” Glatt said Sunday morning at Clockers’ Corner. “I didn’t think he would take that big a step forward. I certainly thought he would win the race. But to win in hand like that, you had to be impressed.”
Judge Miller is by Curlin out of multiple Grade I winner Cavorting, by Bernadini. Owner Muir Hut Stables purchased the colt at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $550,000. At the time of the purchase, Clairiere was a multiple graded stakes winner and Grade I-placed. She would win her first Grade I two weeks later in the Cotillion at Parx.
Clairiere, who was retired after last year’s Breeders’ Cup, finished her career with three Grade I wins, an overall record of 8-6-3 in 22 starts and $3,266,392 in earnings.
As for Judge Miller, he didn’t make the races until last November in a six-furlong maiden race at Del Mar. He finished second. Returning in a seven-furlong maiden heat Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, Judge Miller dueled throughout and prevailed by a half-length.
Ahead of Saturday’s race, Glatt said he thought Judge Miller was “begging for more ground.” The assessment from Santa Anita’s leading trainer proved to be 100 percent correct.
With Frankie Dettori aboard for the first time, Judge Miller raced wide while dueling on the lead through fractions of 23.17, 46.39 and 1:09.82 for six furlongs. At the top of the stretch, Judge Miller quickly kicked clear of his rivals extended his lead to the wire.
“I don’t get overly excited about times,” Glatt said. “But to win like that in 1:35 and 1/5, that was quite a performance.”Next up for Judge Miller will likely be another allowance race, the trainer added. Glatt also mentioned a trip to Keeneland is possible when its spring meet opens April 5.
“We’ll take the next step with him and see how it goes. But it sure feels like the future is bright for him,” Glatt said.
