Baltas has two for Desi Arnaz Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – The depth and quality that trainer Richard Baltas has with his 2-year-olds will be on display Saturday at Del Mar when he sends out two fillies, Ms Bad Behavior and Secret Spice, to make up one-third of the six-horse field in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes, the day’s feature race.

Baltas has seen his barn grow exponentially in recent years, and he’s getting increasing opportunities with young horses.

Ms Bad Behavior has shown steady progress in her three starts, and figures to improve with racing and distance, being as she’s by Blame. She’ll stretch out to seven furlongs in the Arnaz after winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race last time out at Santa Anita.

“I’ve really liked her last couple of works,” Baltas said Thursday morning. “I expect her to really run well.”

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Secret Spice will be the longer price of the two Baltas runners after finishing fourth last time out in the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita.

“It’s an ambitious spot, but she’s doing really good, and she has a nice outside post,” Baltas said. “She missed the break last time.”

The likely favorite is Dream Tree, a $750,000 auction buy earlier this year who won her debut last month at Santa Anita. She defeated another first-time starter, Midnight Bisou, who also is returning in the Arnaz.

Steph Being Steph and Smiling Tigress round out the field.

The Arnaz goes as race 5 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Ms Bad Behavior, by Blame
Beyers: 79-77-77

◗ She was third in her debut, then second to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Alluring Star prior to her maiden victory in start number three.

◗ Baltas said he thinks she will like turf, too, and is willing to try it some day, but as long as she continues to progress on dirt he’s going to leave well enough alone.

“She’s out of a Stormy Atlantic mare, so she’s bred for it, and they tell me that when she was on the farm in Florida before she came to me she supposedly loved it, so we always have that option,” Baltas said.

◗ Tiago Pereira chose her over Midnight Bisou.

Secret Spice, by Discreet Cat
Beyers: 63-64-47

◗ Corey Nakatani takes over for Rafael Bejarano, who wound up on Midnight Bisou.

Dream Tree, by Uncle Mo
Beyer: 77

◗ She won first time out Oct. 27 at Santa Anita, but just lasted after opening a big lead at midstretch. As a result, the blinkers she wore that day are being removed.

Midnight Bisou, by Midnight Lute
Beyer: 76

◗ She just failed to nail Dream Tree in that Oct. 27 maiden race, but the performance was legit, as the top two finished seven lengths clear of the third-place finisher in an 11-horse field.