British Isles to Santa Anita Handicap

British Isles, fifth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park last Saturday, will be pointed to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, trainer Richard Baltas said on Friday.

British Isles was an 83-1 outsider in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at 1 1/8 miles and finished 9 3/4 lengths behind race winner Skippylongstocking. Last fall, British Isles was second in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar, losing to Nevada Beach.

Baltas said he has no international race plans in coming months for British Isles, a 5-year-old owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Debby Baltas, and Cynthia McClanahan.

“We’ll take a look at the Santa Anita Handicap,” Baltas said. “He’s going to stay in the States. Maybe he could run at Oaklawn Park or the Santa Anita Handicap if he bounces out of the race in good shape.”

The $300,000 Big Cap at 1 1/4 miles is the leading race for older horses in California in the first half of the year.

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Ag Bullet and Sweet Azteca, the two leading mares in Baltas’s stable, are nearing a return to training at Santa Anita. They are both currently at a farm in Solvang, Calif. Baltas traveled to the farm earlier this week to inspect the mares.

“Both mares look great,” he said. “Ag has put on a lot of weight. Sweet Azteca looks good. Ag will come in in a few weeks. Sweet Azteca, I’ll give her a little more time.”

Baltas said the Grade 1 Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs in late summer is a long-range goal with Ag Bullet, who's won the race's last two runnings. The Ladies Turf Sprint, which had a $2 million purse in 2025, was a Grade 2 in those seasons and has been revised to a Grade 1 this year.

Ag Bullet could have her first start of 2026 at the Keeneland spring meeting or at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend, Baltas said.

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