Baltas mulling Kilroe Mile for Next Shares

Next Shares returned Monday to Santa Anita, none the worse after a bad trip contributed to his seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

A Grade 1 winner last fall in Kentucky and Grade 2 winner this year in California, Next Shares never had a chance in the Pegasus Turf. He steadied while repeatedly racing inside, was shuffled and lost position into and through the far turn, and was unable to overcome the trip under Tyler Gafflione. He finished 11 3/4-lengths behind winner Bricks and Mortar.

“That’s a lot of money to spend to get a trip like that,” Next Shares’s trainer Richard Baltas said. “But he came back good, and he’s home.”

Next Shares will be nominated to the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 9 at Santa Anita, his status for the race will be determined as the race approaches.

Next Shares won the Shadwell Mile in October at Keeneland and the Grade 2 San Gabriel his first start of 2019 at Santa Anita. He has won six races and $1,537,697 from 23 starts.