Baltas trainee One Bad Boy also one serious Queen's Plate contender

Trained by Richard Baltas, One Bad Boy has made all his starts in California to date. Now, the son of Twirling Candy brings his Golden State credentials to Canada’s Showplace of Racing for the $1 million Queen’s Plate.

With a record of 1-2-1 from four races, the dark bay, bred by Ron Clarkson, has shown strong form ahead of his most high-profile start.

In February, One Bad Boy finished second to the highly regarded Omaha Beach, winner of the 2019 Arkansas Derby and Rebel Stakes.

Just over a month ago, One Bad Boy contested the $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. Leading by a half-length at the stretch call of the one-mile event (taken off the turf and run on the all-weather track), the Ontario-bred finished a game second.

“I thought he ran a great race when he finished second in the stake,” Baltas said. “He kind of hooked a fast pace, but he just got caught at the wire. It was a really strong effort. Since that race, we removed the blinkers, and he’s trained really well without them. Now that he’s going a mile-and-a-quarter, I don’t think he needs to show a ton of speed.”

After a third in his career bow last year on Boxing Day, One Bad Boy, owned by Sayjay Racing, Greg Hall and Brooke Hubbard, finished runner-up to the aforementioned Omaha Beach.

In his third start, a one-mile trip over the Santa Anita turf, the ridgling, sent off as the even-money favorite, broke his maiden courtesy of a 4 1/4-length victory over firm going.

He’ll now look to deliver his connections a win in Canada’s most famous horse race.

“I know this is a big race in Canada,” Baltas said. “He’s an Ontario-bred – I also have his half-sister, Miss Bad Behavior, also an Ontario-bred who is a stakes winner (2018 China Doll Stakes) – so this is a great race for him.”

Flavien Prat, who won the 2019 Kentucky Derby with Country House, gets the call for the Plate. The 26-year-old French-born rider was aboard for the Alcatraz effort.