MILLER'S LATE BLOOMERS READY FOR VALLEY VICTORY

HIGHTSTOWN, NJ -- November 29, 2024 -- Julie Miller trained and admired female trotter Designed To Be, and she always looked forward to the opportunity to work with one of the mare’s offspring. That chance arrived with the purchase of Herecomesdajudge at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

The colt, Designed To Be’s sixth foal and half-brother to 2019 Trotter of the Year Greenshoe, was slowed early on by a health issue but if his recent form is any indication, he has been anxious to make up for lost time.

Herecomesdajudge will bring a three-race winning streak to Saturday’s $447,000 Valley Victory for freshman male trotters at The Meadowlands. The race is part of a packed stakes card featuring the Fall Final Four for 2-year-old trotters and pacers plus the FanDuel Championships for horses 3-and-up at The Big M.

In his most recent performance on Nov. 16, Herecomesdajudge captured a division of the Garden State Trot by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:54.3 at The Meadowlands. In his previous start on Nov. 1, he won a conditioned race for 2-year-olds in 1:54.3 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, missing the then-divisional track record by two-fifths of a second.

“I think (his last start) was the biggest test he’s had,” said Miller, whose son Tyler and husband Andy have been the colt’s primary drivers. “Tyler and Andy both said after each start that he was getting stronger and better and understood what we wanted from him. So, that was a good thing.

“He’s a resilient, happy horse. His attitude has always been great, and he’s always wanted to do his work. It’s just hard because he’s facing horses that are a little more experienced and seasoned.”

Herecomesdajudge, by Muscle Hill, was purchased for $150,000. His mom was a multiple stakes winner and runner-up to Lifetime Pursuit in the 2014 Hambletonian Oaks. She ranked among the sport’s four fastest filly trotters at both ages 2 and 3, and she completed her career with 15 top-three finishes in 17 starts, winning seven and earning $656,166.

“She was a great mare, and she fought hard and deserved every penny she got,” Miller said. “She would always give 110 percent and left it all on the track. I knew she would be a great mom, and she has been. I got lucky that last year (Herecomesdajudge) fell in our price range, and we purchased him.

“He caught my eye, the way he traveled and moved. (Designed To Be) was real streamline and had that way of going. He just really reminded me of her. He was always a nice horse training down. Unfortunately, he ended up with a terrible abscess on the back of his hock, and we gave him the time to heal up right. He’s got the pedigree to be good, he’s just kind of a late starter because of his issue.”

Herecomesdajudge has started nine times, with his three wins and three other top-three efforts helping produce $42,412 in earnings. He is owned by Andy Miller Stable, T L P Stable, Caroll Huffman, and Patrick Hoopes.

In addition to Herecomesdajudge, Miller will send out My Degenerate in the Valley Victory for owners Knutsson Trotting, Lindy Farms of Connecticut, Preferred Equine Marketing, and Andy Miller Stable.

My Degenerate, a son of Muscle Hill-Decadence, also got his career off to a slow start, but has lately picked up speed — literally. He finished second in the Massachusetts Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old male trotters on Oct. 24 at Plainridge Park and followed that performance with a track-record 1:53.1 score in a conditioned race on Nov. 8 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. That clocking missed Amigo Volo’s world record for a freshman trotting gelding by two-fifths of a second.

For his career, My Degenerate has one win, one second, and a third in seven races. He has earned $53,425.

“He’s always been a fast horse, but he just seemed to lose focus,” Miller said. “I think with gelding him, and him gaining some maturity from racing, he’s really come on at the end of the year.”

My Degenerate will start the Valley Victory from post one while Herecomesdajudge will leave from post three. The nine-horse field includes three Breeders Crown finalists — third-place finisher Go Dog Go, fourth-place Blank, and fifth-place Super Chapter.

“There are a lot of nice horses in there,” Miller said. “I wish we had maybe a start or two more experience at that level, but we don’t. I’m hoping they mind their manners, and we get a piece of it. They both had issues to overcome, and they have, so we thought they deserved the chance to be in the race.”

Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EST) at The Meadowlands. For free programs, visit the track’s website.