ROY H PALOS VERDES

         

       ROY H SPARKLES   IN PALOS VERDES


Champion sprinter Roy H put on
a clinic Jan. 19 at Santa Anita
Park.

The 7-year-old More Than
Ready gelding didn't seem to
require much direction from
jockey Paco Lopez in the $200,000
Palos Verdes Stakes (G2), his first
start since notching his second
consecutive win in the TwinSpires
Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 3
at Churchill Downs. With the cool
poise of a seasoned professional,
Roy H cruised in a perfect stalking
spot just outside the leader, inhaled
that rival around the far turn, and
drew off under wraps in a sparkling
final time of 1:08.89.

Lopez, who perched nearly
motionless in the saddle through
the race's entire six furlongs, had
three words to sum up his mount's
ability: "He's a machine."
Roy H broke sharply from the
far outside in a field of six older
horses, tracked his fellow Peter
Miller trainee Conquest Tsunami
and rival St. Joe Bay through a
quick quarter in :21.44 and a half in
:44.35, reeled in those two heading
into the far turn, and galloped the
final furlong to win in hand.

"The track's been playing
(slow), and he was just cruising,"
said Miller, who is expected
to collect Roy H's second
consecutive Eclipse Award
as the nation's top sprinter
Jan. 24 at Gulfstream
Park. "He runs today in
1:08 and four (fifths). … I
hope he didn't run too fast."
Roy H took the Palos Verdes for
the second straight year, adding
to a résumé for Gary Hartunian's
Rockingham Ranch and David
Bernsen that includes seven graded
scores, four of them grade 1 events.
His record stands at 10-5-2 from 23
starts, with earnings of $3,139,765.


"He's a pro's pro, you know?" Miller said. "He's
the LeBron James of sprinters. … In the words of (the
late sportscaster) Chick Hearn, he's as cool as the
other side of the pillow. Nothing bothers him. He's an
unbelievable horse. He's a thing of beauty."
Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Roy H paid $2.60, $2.10,
and $2.10. Kanthaka, making his first start against
older horses, closed to overtake Conquest Tsunami late
for second. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to the pacesetter,
who rounded out the trifecta.

"You could see going to the three-eighths (pole), he
was just cruising," Lopez said. "He loves to run, and I
had a whole lotta horse the whole way. He definitely
ran as good today as he did in the Breeders' Cup. He
was just incredible.

"He's a bullet, that horse. … He was flying today."
Roy H was bred in Kentucky by Ramona Bass
out of the Elusive Quality mare Elusive Diva, and
was a $310,000 purchase from Wavertree Stables'
consignment to the 2014 Keeneland April 2-Year-Olds
in Training Sale. Ciaran Dunne pinhooked him to the
sale after picking him up for $115,000 at the 2013
Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was
consigned by Claiborne Farm.

"I gotta start working out with Roy because he's
running circles around all of us," Hartunian said. "He's
just found a perfect match. Pete Miller is a great sprint
trainer, and Roy H might go down as one of the better
sprinters ever."

Last year, Roy H finished third in the Dubai Golden
Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (G1) at Meydan.
After his impressive performance Saturday, a return
trip remains in the cards.
"We're gonna try Dubai again, and hopefully we can

get it right this time," Miller said. BH