Trainer Baltas, with 9 entered opening day, aiming high at Santa Anita
With apologies to Bruce Springsteen, Richard Baltas was born to run.
Be they in the claiming category or Grade 1 stakes, the 59-year-old trainer prides himself in having “a racing stable,” one that competes when two criteria are aligned: a fit horse and the right conditions.
Such is the scenario Saturday when Baltas has more horses entered on Santa Anita’s opening day program than any other trainer--nine—including six in four stakes.
They are Whisper Not in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2) on turf, Idol in the San Antonio Stakes (G2), Going to Vegas in the American Oaks (G1) and Applecross, Nasty and Annangel in the $75,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes.
Owned by Calvin Nguyen, Idol is a three-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin that was also considered for the Malibu Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. His dam, Marion Ravenwood, is a daughter of 1992 Horse of the Year and Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy.
Instead, Idol will make his stakes debut in the San Antonio (G2) at a mile and one-sixteenth and will compete for the fourth time against older horses, Baltas explaining, “I think he’s a distance horse, very lightly raced (only three prior starts) and a late-developing three-year-old.
“He’s very talented and broke the track record at Churchill going a mile and 3/16 in 1:55.97 on Nov. 8,” winning by 5 ¾ lengths “He got a big (Beyer) number (100) but it was in a one-other-than so I don’t know if it means anything.”
Baltas, fresh from capturing the training title at Del Mar where he sent out 52 starters, topped only by prolific Doug O’Neill with 69, has three entered in the $75,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf: Annangel, Applecross and Nasty.
Each has a diverse style and post position.
“Applecross is a closer so I think the race kind of sets up for her,” Baltas said. “The other fillies have a lot of gas. One’s on the inside (Applecross drew the rail), one’s on the outside (Annangel 10 of 10) and one’s in the middle (Nasty has the seven post).”
Whisper Not drew the rail and is 5-1 on the morning line under Joel Rosario for the Mathis Brothers Mile.
“He ran against older last time (second by less than a length at Del Mar Nov. 29 with Joel Rosario up in his first United States start) . . . he’s a very talented horse. Against three-year-olds he’ll probably be OK and hopefully he’ll duplicate his last race,” Baltas said.
On Sunday, Colonial Creed, a consistent four-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed, runs in the Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares, three and up, at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Bumped at the break last out in the Red Carpet at Del Mar Nov. 26, she still finished a creditable fourth beaten less than two lengths.
If he had his druthers, like most trainers Baltas would prefer to have a barnful of stakes stalwarts, but he lives in the real world.
“I have claimers,” he said, “I just try not to keep them (laughter). Seriously, I believe trying to improve your stock is a major goal. If you get good horses, you try to take care of them, give them the time they need when they need it and try to build up your stable.”
Baltas knows whereof he speaks. He paid his dues en route to reaching his current respectable status. Born in the hardscrabble steel town of Gary, Indiana, his family moved to Huntingdon Beach when he was nine, he attended the races with his father and fell in love with it.
In 1984 he attended Kentucky Equine Institute in Lexington and began working at Spendthrift Farm where Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed were stationed. He rubbed yearlings and started working as a groom while learning the business from the ground up, taking out his trainer’s license in 1991.
“The claiming horses are fun to have, and they stack wins up, but I look at successful trainers and a lot them started with claiming horses and tried to move up,” Baltas said.
“Bobby Frankel started with claiming horses.”
Nuff said.