California Dreamin’ Stakes is summer goal for The Hunted

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Hunted seemed far from a stakes prospect as a 3-year-old through the spring and summer of 2018.

The Hunted bore out on the first turn of his debut in a one-mile maiden race on turf, losing valuable ground. He beat one horse in a field of nine. The Hunted was gelded a few weeks later. Three starts at Del Mar last summer produced only a third. Off went the blinkers.

Since then, The Hunted has improved consistently. On Saturday at Santa Anita, The Hunted won his stakes debut in the $100,702 Crystal Water Stakes for California-bred turf milers. The Hunted has won three of his last six starts.

The Hunted emerged from the Crystal Water in “great” condition, trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday. There are plans for a start in the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on July 26.

“He’s a late-developing horse,” Baltas said.

Owned by Madeline Auerbach, Joe Ciaglia, and Little Red Feather Racing, The Hunted has won 3 of 10 starts and earned $155,829. Baltas does not have extensive plans for The Hunted through the summer and said he is optimistic the gelding can continue to improve. There is a possibility The Hunted could start in an allowance race or optional claimer against open company before the California Dreamin’ Stakes.

“I think I’ll give him a little break and back off a couple of weeks,” he said. “Hopefully, he’ll be good enough to beat open company.”

• Trainers Chuck Treece and Anna Meah have been fined by Santa Anita stewards for medication violations.

Treece, 60, was fined $5,000 after Sea Glass, the winner of the second race on Jan. 11, tested in excess of the permitted level of the anti-inflammatory dexamethasone. This was Treece’s fourth offense for the same infraction in the last year.

Meah, 26, was fined $800 after two of her runners on April 21 – California Comet and Malibu Moonlight – were not registered as bleeders at time of entry.