ARCADIA, Calif. – Before he ships Sweet Azteca and Ag Bullet to Del Mar next week to prepare for Breeders’ Cup races, trainer Richard Baltas has business to take care of at Santa Anita on Friday.
Baltas has contenders in four races Friday, each runner is the first or second favorite on the morning line – Prime and Ready, race 1; Artisma, race 3; Without a Pout, race 6; and Debby’s Gal, race 9. Baltas figures to win at least one race Friday, but no guarantees.
“I’ve been blanked 0 for 7, I’ve been blanked 0 for 8,” Baltas said. That is true, but Baltas also has had three-win days on multiple occasions, and a four-bagger on Aug. 17, 2019 at Del Mar. It’s something to shoot for Friday.
For the Breeders’ Cup, Baltas trains Ag Bullet, the early favorite in the Turf Sprint, and Sweet Azteca, second favorite in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Both are scheduled to work at Santa Anita this weekend and ship to Del Mar next week for final works into the Breeders’ Cup. Baltas is seeking his first Breeders’ Cup win.
The trainer’s immediate concern is Friday. The first Baltas runner is Prime and Ready in race 1, who will go six furlongs on turf in a nonwinners-of-three starter. Early this year, she won two turf sprints at Santa Anita. She was compromised by distance last out, finishing sixth at Del Mar.
“Five-eighths is too short for her,” Baltas said. Prime and Ready’s new rider is Hector Berrios. “I think Hector’s going to fit her pretty good,” Baltas said. Berrios ranks third in the standings behind Juan Hernandez and Umberto Rispoli.
The main rival for Prime and Ready is program favorite Oveta’s Hobby, who drops from an entry-level allowance and is expected to contest the pace. The course profile won’t help. The temporary rails are at the outermost 30-foot setting, but both recent six-furlong turf sprints with the rails at 30 feet were won by deep closers.
Artisma, the favorite in race 3, is Baltas’s best chance Friday. Runner-up last out, she drew post five of five in the entry-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares.
“I love the post, I love the spot,” Baltas said. Abel Lezcano is her rider.
Artisma is listed at 8-5, the lowest of the Baltas runners. Her main rival is Young Love, a front-runner expected to set the pace. Curiously, only two of 11 races this meet at six furlongs have been won by the pacesetter.
The weak link for Baltas is race 6, a $50,000 maiden-claiming turf sprint. Without a Pout, a seven-start maiden, is sprinting for the first time. Baltas acknowledged the distance cutback is an experiment. The race favorite and horse to beat is Frog, who has finished third in her three maiden-claiming turf sprints.
Debby’s Gal makes the second start of her career for Baltas in race 9. Her debut was a promising third-place finish.
“I like her, she came back to work good. She worked [five furlongs in 59.40 seconds] the other day,” Baltas said. Debby’s Gal is 5-2 program favorite under Hernandez.
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