Roy H repeats in Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1)

More Than Ready’s 2017 Eclipse Award-winning Sprinter Roy H scored his second consecutive victory  in the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) on Saturday, setting himself up for a possible repeat in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Roy H is the third Grade 1 winner this year for More Than Ready, who surpassed the $10 million mark in progeny earnings this year on Saturday. The WinStar stallion’s impressive group of potential Breeders’ Cup horses include Catholic Boy, Funtastic, Rushing Fall and Uni (GB), in addition to Roy H.

In what was almost a repeat of last year’s race, Roy H set just off the pace before making a bid for the lead in upper stretch, then drawing away late to win by nearly three lengths in a very quick 1:09.09, earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, his sixth career triple-digit number.

“I loved to get the chance to ride this horse again,” said winning rider Paco Lopez. “I won on him in New York [in last year’s GII True North S.] and was second in California [in the 2017 Bing Crosby], so I know the horse very well. He was very light-footed today, but I didn’t want to send him, so I waited a little bit. He’s an easy horse to ride, you can place him pretty much anywhere.” 

Trained by Peter Miller for Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen LLC, Roy H now has five graded stakes wins and has earned $1,919,765.

Pedigree Notes from the TDN: 
Roy H is out of MGSW & GISP Elusive Diva, a half-sister to Group 3 winner and G1SP Tropics (Speightstown), was purchased by Ramona Bass for $825,000 while in foal to Giant’s Causeway at the 2009 Keeneland January sale.