Summer Front , third in last year's Jamaica Handicap and Secretariat Stakes (both gr. IT), makes his second start of 2013 in the $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT) April 20 at Calder Casino & Race Course.
The grass test attracted a full field of 12 with a two others entered for the main track only. Last year's race was forced off the turf by heavy rain and was won in an upset by Imperial Czar, who drew into the field. This year's Miami Mile is scheduled as the ninth race with an approximate post time of 4:26 p.m. EDT.
Summer Front was back in action for trainer Christophe Clement March 3 with a good closing third after steadying on the turn as the 3-2 favorite in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming event on the Gulfstream Park turf. It was the first race for Waterford Stable's 4-year-old son of War Front since he was unplaced in a troubled effort in the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) at 1 1/4 miles Nov. 25.
Prior to that, Summer Front turned in a pair of strong efforts against 3-year-olds in the Secretariat, also at 10 furlongs last summer at Arlington Park, and the 1 1/8-mile Jamaica at Belmont Park. Both races were contested over ground with a little give to it. The bay colt is looking for his first win since taking the Hill Prince (gr. IIIT) and Duluth Stakes, both at one mile, in back-to-back races in New York before stretching out in the Secretariat.
Summer Front makes his Calder debut as the 120-pound highlight with Joe Bravo aboard. They break from the rail.
MIAMI MILE
27th RUNNING
MOST WINS BY A HORSE: Simply Majestic 2 (1988-89), Band Is Passing 2 (2000, 2002).
MOST WINS BY A JOCKEY: Manoel Cruz 3.
MOST WINS BY A TRAINER: Martin Wolfson 3.
FASTEST TIME: Mr. Livingston (2001) 1:33.75.
FACTOIDS: Band Is Passing, owned and trained by Stanley Ersoff, ran in three straight Miami Mile’s winning two of them (2000 and 2002).
Compiled by Gary Dougherty
Mucho Mas Macho, a 41-1 upset winner of the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream in January prior to finishing fifth in the Pan American (gr. IIT), returns to his home track for trainer Henry Collazo. Signal Hill Farm's 4-year-old Macho Uno gelding is a three time winner over the Calder turf and ran second in last fall's W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT). He drew post 11 carrying 118 pounds and will be ridden by Juan Leyva.
Just For Fun Stable's Decisive Moment, runner-up in a pair of tough Gulfstream turf allowance races this past winter, ran third in last year's Miami Mile on a sloppy track. Trained by Juan Arias, the 5-year-old son of With Distinction comes off a distant ninth-place effort in Gulfstream's Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) March 30.
Empire Builder, owned and trained by Luis Duco, was out of the money in each of his five starts at Gulfstream this past meet. He should appreciate a return to Calder's turf course, where he has won three of five starts, including a minor stakes victory last summer. The 4-year-old Kitten's Joy colt starts from post 3 and will be ridden by Jesus Rios.
Shamrock Farm's consistent 7-year-old Monument Hill will take another crack at taking down the first stakes of his career when starting from post 10 for trainer George Weaver. The son of Royal Academy has finished no worse than third in 18 of his 21 career starts. He exits a winning effort in a turf allowance race at Gulfstream March 30.
Other notables include Jacks or Better Farm's Alley Oop Oop, beaten less than a length when dead-heating for second in the Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 16; Our Sugar Bear Stable's millionaire Gourmet Dinner; and Centaur Farms's Megamove, first or second in each of his last six outings.
The main track entrants are Flatter This and Thank U Philippe.
Miami Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 4:26 p.m.), 3 & Up (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Summer Front (KY), J Bravo, 120, C Clement
2. Bellefire (MD), C H Velasquez, 113, L Azpurua Jr.
3. Empire Builder (KY), J M Rios, 116, L Duco
4. Awake At T Wire (ON), E J Zayas, 111, Y Belsoeur
5. Alley Oop Oop (FL), F Jara, 116, S I Gold
6. Cool Blue Red Hot (KY), M R Cruz, 116, A A Penna Jr.
7. Decisive Moment (FL), C Olivero, 115, J D Arias
8. Gourmet Dinner (FL), S O Madrid, 114, B R Brown
9. Megamove (FL), E Trujillo, 114, R B Spatz
10. Monument Hill (MD), M G Pino, 117, G Weaver
11. Mucho Mas Macho (KY), J C Leyva, 118, H Collazo
12. El Commodore (KY), O Bocachica, 116, G A Griffith
Main Track Only
13. Flatter This (KY), A A Gallardo, 113, K O'Connell
14. Thank U Philippe (FL), A O Solis, 112, M D Wolfson