More Than Ready’s 2017 Eclipse Champion Sprinter Roy H started 2018 in style with an easy 3 1/2-length win in the $200,000 Palos Verdes S. (G2) Feb. 3 at Santa Anita Park.
“It was our first race of the year, we didn’t want to change his style; $200,000 is a big race, but it’s not the biggest race we’re going to run in this year,” said his trainer Peter Miller.
Facing just three foes, including Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Mongolian Saturday, Roy H settled at the back from his rail post. Still under a hand ride, Roy H went three wide around his foes to strike the lead with a quarter-mile to run. With Kent Desormeaux sitting completely still, Roy H easily pulled clear and was geared down when he hit the wire in 1:09.68.
“He did it very easy,” said Desormeaux. “Pete told me to let the other horses go today and let this guy finish up the last half mile. It made my job easy. He’s a super horse. I wanna say, he’s the best sprinter I’ve ever ridden.”
Owned by Rockingham Ranch and David A. Bersen LLC, Roy H now has four graded stakes wins and has earned $1,479,765. He is now More Than Ready’s third all-time leading earner in North America.
“I’d say the Triple Bend (Grade I, $400,000, at seven furlongs on March 10) and then the Golden Shaheen (G1, in Dubai on March 31), that would probably be what we’d do, but one day at a time, one race at a time,” added Miller when asked about Roy H’s next race plans.
