Bwana Charlie's Comma to the Top completed a memorable Hollywood Park Autumn meet, collecting the biggest win of his career with a decisive

Comma to the Top wins the G1 CashCall Futurity Dec. 18 at Hollywood Park. photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos

score in the $750,000, Grade 1 CashCall Futurity (VIDEO) on a rainy Dec. 18 at Hollywood Park. The victory was the third stakes success in six weeks for the 2-year-old and the fifth win in a row for the bay juvenile.

Bwana Charlie is now Florida's fourth ranked second-crop sire with $1.54 million in progeny earnings. Comma to the Top is the first Grade 1 winner for his sire.

The 1 3/4-length decision over J P’s Gusto and eight others came after the start was delayed for about 30 minutes because Comma to the Top needed a replacement shoe for his right hind leg. After the race got underway, Comma to the Top and jockey Corey Nakatani tracked the pace set by longshot High Level Jeff, took command around the turn and was not menaced in the final quarter of a mile.  Comma to the Top ran the 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:44.18.

Owned by Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Kevin Tsujihara and trained by Peter Miller, Comma to the Top has won six of 10 and earned $551,600. Prior to the Futurity, Comma to the Top’s wins at the meet had come in the Real Quiet S. Nov. 6 and the grassy Grade 3 Generous S. Nov. 27.

“Wow, that was something’’ said Nakatani. “To run like that on top of everything that happened. He’s just an amazing little horse. We’ve been real patient with him because at Del Mar we knew he could go long. The move on the turn felt great. It feels like you’re on a Ferrari. All this adversity is a plus because he handled it like it was just another day. Right now I would say he is one of the best 2-year-olds I’ve ridden.’’

“This horse is really good,’’ said Miller. “I told Corey that if someone sends he can sit. I worked him off horses the other day and he did great. And Nak just rode him perfect. When he made that move at the three-eighths pole, I’ve never had a feeling like that.

Comma to the Top was bred in Florida by Richard and Linda Thompson. He sold earlier this year at the OBS Spring April sale, where he was purchased by Peter Miller.

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