Baltas to take a chance with Watchtower in Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf
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Watchtower, the winner of the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at one mile in October but only fifth of 11 in the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 26, will be sent to Gulfstream Park for the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 25.
“She got invited and we’re going,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “She’ll probably be a longshot. The owners want to go and the horse is doing good.
“Not everyone gets invited.”
Watchtower, who races for the partnership of Abbondanza Racing, Omar Aldabbagh, and Michael Iavarone, has won 3 of 8 starts. The Autumn Miss was her lone stakes win.
With a purse of $500,000, the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational will be Watchtower’s richest race.
Baltas has plans to keep the promising 3-year-old colt Scipio on turf in coming months. Scipio, who was second in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 1, won a maiden race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 28.
On Thursday at Santa Anita, Scipio worked a half-mile in 48 seconds. He was not fitted with blinkers for the workout and will not wear them in his next start, Baltas said.
“I think we’ll take them off,” Baltas said.
One option for Scipio is the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf on March 9.
“I’m glad he broke his maiden,” Baltas said. “He was running in stakes and he had some bad trips. He showed a little bit of speed, which was beautiful and got a clean break.”
Baltas said he is no hurry to start Scipio, who has had five starts, including three since Nov 1.
“I don’t want to run him back too quick,” Baltas said.
On Jan. 5, the Baltas-trained Artisma finished second by a head in the Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs in her second start and first against winners. She may return in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 8 instead of the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes at one mile on Feb. 2, Baltas said.
“The Las Virgenes is coming back too quick,” he said. “I’d like to give her a little more time. She came out of the race really good. She has a lot of upside.”
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