Richard Baltas | Horse Racing Free Tips

A More Aggressive Masteroffoxhounds Proves Best In San Marcos

Confidently handled by Joel Rosario, Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds sat a reserved second to the top of the lane and unleashed an impressive stretch run while hand ridden to take Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Richard Baltas, the 4-year-old colt by War Front got a mile and one quarter on turf in 2:01.39.

With a hillside start, veteran 7-year-old Acclimate made an easy lead and set relatively mild splits of 24.41, 49.37, 1:14.19 and 1:38.49 under Tyler Baze, but Rosario had his prey measured and went on to a solid score in his third start for Baltas since being imported from Ireland late last summer.

“I was worried it was going to be a slow pace, and it was slow at 14 and change,” said Baltas. “He was impressive last time and (trained) well going into this race…I told Joel to sit second and he did it perfectly. He let the horse in front relax, but (that) horse is getting old.

“I changed the bridle and I changed the exercise rider. I just wanted him to be more aggressive. … He's trained forwardly and we're fortunate to have him.”

A rousing 4 ¼-length allowance winner at 1 3/8 miles on turf Nov. 28 at Del Mar, Masteroffoxhounds was the second choice at 8-5 and paid $5.40, $2.60 and $2.40.

Masteroffoxhounds, who is out of the Galileo mare Outstanding, was one for six in Ireland and registered his first graded stakes victory today, improving his overall mark to 9-3-1-1. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $172,942.

“The whole time I was tracking the horse in front with a nice stride,” said Rosario, who was aboard Masteroffoxhounds for the first time in the San Marcos. “I had a lot of confidence in my horse. I was keeping him focused a bit in the last part, but (he) was much the best in the end.”

A multiple graded stakes winning California-bred gelding, Acclimate was second best on the day, finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of Starting Over. Off at 6-5, Acclimate, in his 21st career start, paid $2.60 and $2.40.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Starting Over was off at 19-1 and paid $5.00 to show.

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Six Go Postward in Delayed San Marcos

A field of six, led by Acclimate (Acclamation) and Masteroffoxhounds (War Front), goes postward in the GII San Marcos S. Saturday at Santa Anita. The 1 1/4-mile turf race had originally been scheduled for Jan. 30, but was pushed back to avoid the winter rainstorm which hit Arcadia a week ago.

Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds will be making his third stateside appearance in the San Marcos. The bay colt, a maiden winner in Ireland last summer, was seventh going one mile in his U.S. debut last November. He powered home to a 4 1/4-length victory in a 1 3/8-mile optional claimer at Del Mar Nov. 28 in his most recent start.

Acclimate won the 2019 GIII San Juan Capistrano S. and GII Del Mar H. and was second over the San Marcos course and distance in that year's GII John Henry Turf Classic. He made only one start in 2020, finishing fourth in the Nov. 27 GII Hollywood Turf Cup, and he was third as the 9-5 favorite in his 2021 debut while facing fellow Cal-breds in the nine-furlong Unusual Heat Turf Classic S. Jan. 16.

“It's a rather quick comeback for Acclimate, but I had this race in the back of my mind for him,” said trainer Phil D'Amato. “It was hard to pass up $200 grand against Cal-breds [in the Unusual Heat], but at the same he's coming back at a distance he prefers [in the San Marcos]. I always had this race planned for him, if he came out of the Unusual Heat in good shape, and he really has, so we'll look to wheel him back going a mile and a quarter.”

D'Amato will also saddle Salvator Mundi (Artie Schiller) in the San Marcos. Claimed for $40,000 at Keeneland in September of 2019 has won twice in seven starts since for D'Amato. The 5-year-old gelding was most recently third in a one-mile optional claimer at Santa Anita Jan. 8 and he will be making his third stakes appearance Saturday.

“He's just kind of learning where he needs to be placed to be most effective,” D'Amato said of Salvator Mundi, who stalked the pace before weakening to finish sixth in the GII John Henry Turf Classic last September. “I think he merits another chance at a 1 1/4 miles for sure, the way he's come out of that race.”

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Masteroffoxhounds, Acclimate Prominent In Rescheduled San Marcos

In what appears to be a wide-open affair at a mile and one quarter on turf, recent arrival Masteroffoxhounds and well-accomplished California-bred Acclimate figure prominently among six older horses in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Originally scheduled to be run this past Saturday, Jan. 30, the San Marcos was moved to this Saturday to avoid heavy rains and will be contested for the 69th time.

Trained by Richard Baltas, Masteroffoxhounds, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by War Front, began his career at age two in Ireland and managed one win from six starts on the Emerald Isle before making his U.S. debut on Nov. 7. A non-threatening seventh in a one mile turf allowance, Masteroffoxhounds came back win going away by 4 ¼ lengths in a 1 3/8 mile turf allowance Nov. 28.

With Joel Rosario signed on to ride for the first time, Masteroffoxhounds, who earned an 87 Beyer Speed figure on Nov. 28, cuts back in distance a sixteenth of mile and looks like a “now” commodity that's capable of taking his first graded stakes for Rockingham Ranch.

In his only start last year, Acclimate was fourth, beaten two lengths going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 27 at Del Mar. Subsequently favored at 9-5 versus statebreds in the Cal Cup Turf Classic at a mile and one eighth here on Jan. 16, Acclimate flattened out late to finish third, beaten 1 ½ lengths. A veteran who does his best running on the lead at marathon distances on turf, Acclimate will be making his third start off a lengthy layoff and rates a solid chance with Tyler Baze back aboard.

Owned by the Ellwood Johnston Family Trust, Timmy Time Racing and Ken Tevelde, Acclimate was bred in-part by the Johnston's Old English Rancho. A Grade 2 winner on grass, Acclimate, a 7-year-old gelding by Acclamation, out of the Boundary mare Knows No Bounds, is 20-6-2-3 with earnings of $399,872.

Although never a threat going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 2, Cleopatra's Strike, who was claimed for $62,500 on Nov. 13, rallied to be second in last year's San Marcos and rates an upset chance in his second start for Bob Hess, Jr. as leading rider Juan Hernandez takes over for the first time.

THE GRADE 2 SAN MARCOS STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 10 Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

Cleopatra's Strike—Juan Hernandez—120
Masteroffoxhounds—Joel Rosario—120
Starting Over—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Acclimate—Tyler Baze—120
Salvator Mundi—Flavien Prat—120
Oscar Dominguez—Umberto Rispoli—120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. For more information please visit Santaanita.com.

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With Goat In Tow, North County Guy Ships To Santa Anita, Captures Unusual Heat Turf Classic

Content to sit well off the early pace, North County Guy wheeled four-wide at the top of the stretch en route to a hard-earned neck victory in Saturday's $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, North County Guy, a 6-year-old gelding by The Pamplemousse, got a mile and one eighth in 1:46.34 on firm turf.

Presented by City National Bank, the Unusual Heat Turf Classic is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

With 70-1 longshot Cono winging on an uncontested early lead, North County Guy was a distant fifth, about 20 lengths off the lead with a half mile to run. As Cono stopped mid-way around the far turn, the entire field moved into contention, with North County Guy about three lengths off the lead at the top of the lane.

Favored Acclimate and Tyler Baze hit the front at the quarter pole, while North County Guy had about two lengths to make up with a furlong to run and he was equal to the challeng. After striking the front he held off the late charge of longshot Heck Yeah.

A second condition allowance winner at today's distance two starts back on Oct. 9, North County Guy was well beaten in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and one half Nov. 27. Off at 4-1 in a field of 11, North County Guy paid $10.40, $6.40 and $4.00.

Owned by Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands, North County Guy, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Warmth, notched his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 28-6-7-5. With the winner's share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $366,647. He was bred in California by Edward C. Allred.

“He was training really good and obviously we had to put the money up to make him eligible,” said Baltas. “He's been running against open but we saw the $200,000 mile and an eighth which is his distance, so we did it.

“He's at San Luis Rey, he has the outside den and has a goat,” Baltas added. “If he doesn't have the goat and he's not outside he runs the stall so it's kind of funny, he comes up here in the van with the goat. We just try to keep him happy.”

Heck Yeah, a three-time stakes winner at age three who seemed to have found new life on synthetic Tapeta with Golden Gate Fields-based trainer Steve Sherman, rallied to boldly to miss by a diminishing neck under Drayden Van Dyke. Off at 21-1, he paid $17.40 and $8.40.

Acclimate, the 9-5 favorite, paid $3.20 to show while finishing a half length in front of Ward 'n Jerry.

Fractions on the race were 22.31, 44.76, 1:09.18 and 1:34.36.

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