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Report: Baltas Hearing Postponed Until At Least July 31

With a potential fine or suspension looming, California trainer Richard Baltas will not face a scheduled hearing with stewards at Los Alamitos Friday after Darrell Vienna, the trainer's lawyer, successfully asked for a postponement. The story was first reported by Daily Racing Form.

Vienna told DRF Monday that he has received a 30-day continuance in the case from Los Alamitos stewards. A new hearing has not been scheduled, with the earliest it can come being July 31 at Del Mar.

“I didn't receive the full complaint until seven days before the hearing,” Vienna said. “In order to prepare an adequate defense, I need time.”

It was reported last week that 23 horses trained by Baltas, who was banned from Santa Anita and other 1/ST Racing tracks with scant initial explanation in early May, were allegedly administered substances on race day in violation of California Horse Racing Board rules. Baltas was ordered to appear before the Los Alamitos stewards by the CHRB, which opened an investigation into the trainer May 8.

The postponement of Friday's hearing leaves up in the air whether or not Baltas will be allowed to stable and start horses at the Del Mar summer meet, which starts July 22.

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H. Allen Poindexter to be Inducted into Prairie Meadows Racing Hall of Fame

Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino will induct two horsemen into its Racing Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 9 including Quarter Horse jockey Stormy Smith and prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder, H. Allen Poindexter. His maroon and grey silks have been carried by multiple stakes-winning horses at Prairie Meadows and other tracks across America, such as GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Chanel's Legacy (Dominus) and GIII Iowa Oaks victress Flat Out Speed (Flat Out). Both will be inducted in a ceremony on the second day of the 2022 Iowa Festival of Racing beginning at 4:00 p.m.

“I am thrilled and privileged to be inducted into the Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame,” said Poindexter. “Even though I knew my name was in the mix, I still got goose bumps when I received word that I would be part of the Class of 2022.”

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Sports, TV Stars to Headline Inaugural ‘Stars at the Spa’ Series at Saratoga

The New York Racing Association will welcome several sports and television celebrities to Saratoga Race Course to meet with fans during the brand-new “Stars at the Spa” entertainment series set to debut during the 2022 summer meet.

The stars scheduled to visit historic Saratoga include: former New York Knicks power forward Charles Oakley Sunday, July 24; “Real Housewives of New Jersey” TV personality Teresa Giudice Sunday, July 31; and former New York Yankees All-Star and World Series champion Bernie Williams Sunday, Sept. 4.

The “Stars at the Spa” series, presented by Saratoga Living, will include a luncheon from 12-2 p.m. in the Paddock Suite, a new hospitality venue for the 2022 season, featuring a climate-controlled bar, lounge and outdoor balcony with sweeping views of the Saratoga paddock. The special event includes admission to the Paddock Suite, a meet-and-greet with the celebrities, food and beverage (beer, wine and soft drinks) and race day program. Each “Stars at the Spa” event will be limited to 50 guests. Tickets are currently available for $200 per person and may be reserved at NYRA.com.

Each star will also participate in a special photo and autograph session from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Room Porch (separate ticket required). Photo opportunities and autographed photos (no outside memorabilia allowed) will be available for $40 to the first 200 fans. Tickets for the autograph and photo session must be purchased in advance at NYRA.com.

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Walter Rodriguez Rides First Winner at Laurel

Walter Rodriguez, a 24-year-old native of El Salvador, rode the first winner of his career when he guided Rationalmillennial (Orb)–owned and trained by Jose Corrales–to victory in the sixth race at Laurel Park Sunday.

“I kept looking at the right side to make sure nobody else was coming because I wanted to go around the horse in front of me, and after that I knew I had it,” Rodriguez said. “It's very, very exciting. It's been a lot of hard work and a lot of help from all my friends.”

It was the third lifetime race for the Rodriguez, who rides with a 10-pound weight allowance and had no racing experience when he sought out Corrales more than two years ago.

“He came one day to the track and he said to me, 'I want to be a jockey.' I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was delivering refrigerators,” Corrales said. “Then I asked him if he had ever walked a horse, and he said no. That's where we started.

“In El Salvador, they don't even have a racetrack there,” Corrales added. “I said, 'You have to know how to walk horses. You have to learn everything, how to muck stalls and brush horses and be here early every day,' and he said, 'I'll do whatever it takes.' He worked his way along to where he was jogging horses for me and after that he started galloping horses, and at one time he was galloping all my best horses, my stakes horses. When all his paperwork came through, I took him to get his jockey's license. I told him, 'I'm going to make you famous.'”

Rodriguez made his professional debut June 17 at Laurel, finishing sixth aboard Manklin Creek (Bandbox), co-owned and trained by Corrales.

Corrales won 1,031 races as a jockey between 1981 and 1993 before becoming a trainer, but has continued to mentor prospective riders such as his nephew, Gerardo Corrales, currently tied for ninth in the standings at Churchill Downs, and David Egan. England's champion apprentice of 2017, Egan registered his first North American victory at age 19 on the Corrales-trained Bobby G Mar. 1, 2019 at Laurel. Two years later, Egan captured both the G1 Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic aboard Mishriff.

“I've been teaching for the last 40 years and that's my passion. That's what I like to do. I love it,” Corrales said. “This kid deserves everything he gets. He learned everything by never giving up. He's a good listener and I'm glad I got him. I think he's going to have great things. He's got a good heart and he takes cares of his grandmother and everything like that. I see a lot of future in this kid.”

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