SANTA ANITA Dalmore changes hands

ARCADIA, Calif. – Dalmore, a Grade 3 stakes winner in 2016, was bought privately by Ron Paolucci last week and has been transferred from trainer Keith Desormeaux to Bob Hess Jr. in advance of an expected start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 10.

The deal was completed days after Dalmore won an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles by 8 1/2 lengths on Feb. 15 at Santa Anita in his first start since last summer.

“I’ve watched him and become a fan,” Hess said. “I was blown away with his win the other day.”

Sunday, Hess said a potential start for Dalmore in the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap hinges on the thoughts of jockey Kent Desormeaux, who has ridden Dalmore frequently in the last two years.

“A lot it will depends on what Kent tells us about the horse,” Hess said.

Hess declined to state the purchase price, describing the transaction as “enough.”

Dalmore has won 4 of 20 starts and earned $354,292. He was previously owned by a partnership that included Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners, Rocker O Ranch, and Keith Desormeaux.

Dalmore won the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds here in July 2016 and was later second in the Grade 2 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in September 2016.

Dalmore is one of nine probable starters for the Big Cap along with Accelerate, Fear the Cowboy, Giant Expectations, Hoppertunity, Mubtaahij, Pavel, Prime Attraction, and Top of the Game. The race is run at 1 1/4 miles.

Fear the Cowboy, fourth in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, is the only shipper among the projected starters in the Santa Anita Handicap, the year’s richest race for older horses at Santa Anita.

Hess said that Imperative, winner of the Charles Town Classic last April in his most recent start, has resumed training after a winter break. Imperative was a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November, but was taken out of training a week before the race because of concern over his pelvis, Hess said at the time.

“He’s back at the barn and doing well,” Hess said. “He’s healthy and happy.”

Miller nails Daytona trifecta

Conquest Tsunami, Stormy Liberal, and Calculator gave trainer Peter Miller his first sweep of a trifecta in a stakes in Saturday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita.

Miller, the leading trainer at the winter-spring meeting, achieved this rare milestone despite a tumultuous period in recent months for him.

Miller’s stable lost five horses in the wildfire that struck the San Luis Rey Downs training center in early December. Along with the rest of the San Luis Rey Downs-based stables, Miller relocated his horses to Del Mar for the winter.

Miller, 51, has led the standings or been tied for first since a three-win day Dec. 31, five days after the start of the meet. Conquest Tsunami gave him his fourth stakes win of the meeting. Through Sunday, Miller had 21 wins, three more than runner-up Bob Baffert.

“If this isn’t the most up and down profession in the world, I don’t know what is,” Miller said Sunday.

Conquest Tsunami, who races for Gary Barber, won his first graded stakes in the $150,690 Daytona, leading throughout about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course to beat Stormy Liberal by 2 1/2 lengths. Calculator, the 9-5 favorite, finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Conquest Tsunami in third.

Miller finished first, second, and fourth in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes here in January 2015 with Calculator, Rock Shandy, and St. Joe Bay. Last November at Del Mar, Stormy Liberal and Richard’s Boy gave Miller a sweep of the exacta in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

“They were all three very live, but you never think it could happen,” Miller said of Saturday’s result. “It’s kind of like the Breeders’ Cup when they run 1-2.

“Anything can happen. I could hit the lottery. After yesterday, I may need some buy some tickets.”

Miller said Conquest Tsunami and Stormy Liberal are candidates for the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Racecourse on March 31 in Dubai.

“We’re going to see if we get invited to Dubai,” Miller said. “I think we could take two.”

Calculator bled slightly in the Daytona Stakes and will be given a rest, Miller said.

Miller trains Roy H, the champion sprinter of 2017, who is scheduled to start in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs March 10 as a prep for the $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint on March 31 in Dubai.

The Miller-trained War Heroine, winner of the Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course Feb. 11, is a candidate for the $70,000 China Doll Stakes at a mile on turf March 10. War Heroine, owned by Barber, is nominated for Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes, but is unlikely to start in that race.

The $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, is expected to be led by the undefeated Dream Tree and by Midnight Bisou, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes on Jan. 7. Dream Tree and Midnight Bisou were first and second in a maiden race here last October and in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar last November. The margin in each race was a nose.

Dream Tree won the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December and the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 4 in her first start of 2018.

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES Dalmore is being pointed to the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap.