Big week has Baltas looking for more

CYPRESS, Calif. – First, Next Shares won the $250,000 Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs last Thursday. Two days later, in a matter of two hours, Insta Erma won the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes and Gas Station Sushi won the $75,000 Beverly Lewis Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Next Shares will be nominated for the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 6. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Insta Erma could start the same day in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Keeneland. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

Gas Station Sushi will be considered for the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 7 or the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 20.

Baltas said “there is a chance” Gas Station Sushi will start in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 but said the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 is “the main goal.”

“Of course, everybody wants to be in the Breeders’ Cup,” Baltas said.

Gas Station Sushi led throughout the Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs, drawing clear to win by six lengths over Steph Being Steph. The Lewis Stakes was the first start for Gas Station Sushi since a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs in May.

“Boy, did she deliver, the way she ran,” Baltas said.

Baltas said Gas Station Sushi “really thrived” while training at San Luis Rey Downs in San Diego County over the summer before she was transferred to his stable at Del Mar at the end of that track’s summer meeting.

Baltas intended to run Gas Station Sushi in an allowance race at Del Mar but said the race did not draw sufficient entries. Instead, Gas Station Sushi ran at Los Alamitos and won for the third time in her fourth start for owners Riley Racing, Jason and Megan Tackitt, Mike Henson, and Tiger Racing Stable.

This week, Baltas said his stable will have a minimal number of runners at Los Alamitos. There is a possibility Two Thirty Five could run in the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/4 miles on Sunday. The newly created race is restricted to horses who have not won a stakes worth $50,000 or more at a mile in their careers.

Two Thirty Five ran in two stakes at Del Mar’s summer meeting, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 21 and last of seven in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 18.