Jay Hovdey: Miller swinging for fences in Santa Anita Derby and Oaks

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Tom Keyser

Comma to the Top (2) was considered for the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct but instead will run in the Potrero Grande at Santa Anita.

The truly dedicated horseplayer will be up early Saturday morning to have a stab at the John Smiths Grand National at Englands storied Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, home of the Beatles, who played a number of gigs just down the road at the Aintree Institute, behind what used to be the Black Bull Club, in 1961 and 62.

At the time there were four Beatles John, Paul, George and Pete. As of Thursday at Aintree, 42 horses were declared as running in the Grand National. They have names like Weird Al, Rare Bob, Major Malarky and Harry the Viking, and to earn a share of the $1.5 million purse they must somehow survive 30 fences over four miles, three furlongs, and 110 yards. The fences have names like Foinavon, The Chair, Bechers Book, and Canal Turn, after which the horses must make a sharp left or else end up in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Give yourself a hand if you can pick the winner, but back home in the States the Santa Anita Derby looks to be just as much of a puzzle. Confidence is running high in the camps of Flashback, Hear the Ghost, and Goldencents, while stakes winners Power Broker, Super Ninety Nine, and Tiz a Minister deserve more than a second look. The winner gets $450,000 and a date with destiny, that harsh mistress, in the Kentucky Derby four weeks hence.

Wading into the mire is trainer Peter Miller with the recent maiden winner Summer Exclusive, who would be the longest price in the field were it not for the presence of a colt named Dirty Swagg, beaten 42 lengths in his last two starts. Hope burns eternal.

The Miller crew also will be flying under the radar in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks earlier on the card with Could Be Trouble, a Cal-bred daughter of Ministers Wild Cat who joined the barn in March. She immediately won a starter allowance race, although that hardly stacks up against the accomplishments of champion Beholder or Santa Ysabel Stakes winner Fiftyshadesofhay, the Oaks headliners.

Miller can be forgiven for taking a swing with longshots in the local Derby and the Oaks. As far as the Dept. of Karma is concerned, both races might owe him a little break. Last year, Miller had to swallow the sight of the stables talented Reneesgotzip out-bobbed in the last step by the 13-1 Willa B Awesome in the Oaks, while in 2011 the popular Comma to the Top was headed at the very end of the Santa Anita Derby by Midnight Interlude, also at 13-1.

Those were a couple of heartbreakers, Miller said. Tough to take. Both horses ran so well, it was a shame they had to lose.

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Jay Hovdey: Miller swinging for fences in Santa Anita Derby and Oaks