Roy H Romps in Return

Roy H | Benoit

Roy H (More Than Ready), a back-to-back winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and a heavy favorite to become the first horse to earn consecutive champion sprinter honors since Housebuster (1990-91) in Hallandale later next week, ran to his 1-5 odds to successfully defend his Palos Verdes title here.

He sat a tracking third as they blazed the way through an opening quarter in :21.44. The 7-year-old set his sights on the leader as jockey Paco Lopez took a look in rearview mirror on the far turn, gained command without being asked as they straightened for home and was on cruise control down the lane to win for fun.

A close third in last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, the Peter Miller trainee is expected to return to Meydan this March. His 2018 campaign also included a second-place finish in the GI Bing Crosby S. in late July and a win in the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. in October.

Pedigree Notes:

Roy H is out of a mare who did her best work at sprint distances, winning the GIII Las Cienegas H. and GIII Railbird S. while finishing third in the GI La Brea S. Elusive Diva is a half-sister to Tropics (Speightstown), a Group 3 winner and twice runner-up in the prestigious G1 Darley July Cup. Second dam Taj Aire is also responsible for MSW R. Baggio (Chimes Band) and SW Handyman Bill (Skywalker). A $110,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $310,000 Keeneland April 2-Year-Old, Roy H is kin to the unraced 3-year-old filly Vinca (Oxbow) and a 2-year-old colt by English Channel. Elusive Diva, who was purchased for $75,000 by Calumet Farm in foal to Algorithms at Keeneland November in 2013, was most recently bred to Mr. Z.

Saturday, Santa Anita
PALOS VERDES S.-GII, $200,351, Santa Anita, 1-19, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:08.89, gd.
1–ROY H, 124, g, 7, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Elusive Diva (MGSW & GISP, $484,510), by
Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Taj Aire, by Taj Alriyadh
3rd Dam: Whimsical Aire, by Messenger of Song
($115,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $310,000 2yo '14 KEEAPR).
O-Rockingham Ranch & David A Bernsen LLC; B-Ramona S.
Bass, LLC (KY); T-Peter Miller; J-Paco Lopez. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: Ch. Male Sprinter & MGISW & G1SP-UAE, 23-10-5-2,
$3,139,765. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kanthaka, 122, c, 4, Jimmy Creed–Sliced Bread, by
Noonmark. ($38,000 RNA Ylg '16 FTKJUL; $140,000 2yo '17
BARMAR). O-West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Spendthrift Farm
LLC (KY); T-Jerry Hollendorfer. $40,000.
3–Conquest Tsunami, 120, g, 7, Stormy Atlantic–Classic Neel,
by El Corredor. ($190,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $140,000 4yo '16
KEENOV). O-Gary Barber; B-Josham Farms Limited & Yvonne
Schwabe Thoroughbreds (ON); T-Peter Miller. $24,000.
Margins: 4, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.30, 6.10, 14.00.
Also Ran: Awesome Anywhere, St. Joe Bay, Touched by Autism. Scratched: Distinctive B.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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