Miller celebrates Futurity win, and banner meet, at Hollywood

Trainer Peter Miller shared a congratulatory hug with jockey Corey Nakatani following the Generous (Benoit Photos)

Trainer Peter Miller, who sent out favored COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie)
to victory in Saturday’s CashCall Futurity (G1) at Hollywood Park, pinched
himself Sunday to make sure the biggest victory of his career was not a dream.

“It’s amazing that these races don’t take much out of him,” Miller said after
a fifth straight victory by the Florida-bred gelding. “He’s holding his weight
well. He looks 100 percent and ate up good last night.”

Miller, a 44-year-old Los Angeles native, said he had not yet formulated 2011
plans with co-owners Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Kevin Tsujihara but the
Kentucky Derby (G1) is the long range goal. The $375,000 prize Comma to the Top
earned Saturday eliminated any worries about the horse having enough earnings to
qualify.

“Winning this race was definitely a career highlight, and the drama made it
even more special,” Miller said, referring to the 28-minute delay caused by the
winner, who lost a rear shoe in the mud on the way to the paddock and needed to
have it replaced. Once the race started, jockey Corey Nakatani guided Comma to
the Top to a 1 3/4-length victory from just off the pace in a driving rainstorm
under the lights.

“It was a crazy, crazy day, but at the end, the best horse won,” the
conditioner added. “We were all in the same boat.”

Miller picked Comma to the Top out of an Ocala two-year-old sale in April
from the Clyde Rice consignment and purchased him for $22,000.