Idol will have new rider for Santa Anita Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – Idol, third as the even-money favorite in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 30, will have a new rider for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6.

Trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday that Gabriel Saez will not ride Idol back in the Santa Anita Handicap, but that the new rider has not been finalized. Saez rode Idol to consecutive wins in a maiden race and an allowance race at Churchill Downs in September and November and to a second-place finish in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

:: Get Brad Free’s Betting Strategies for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita

Saturday, Idol worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds at Santa Anita, his first workout since finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind winner Express Train in the San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. The $400,000 Big Cap is run at 1 1/4 miles.

Baltas plans to start Nasty and Going to Vegas in Saturday’s Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. Nasty won the Lady of Shamrock Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf on Dec. 26. Going to Vegas was second at 14-1 in the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Dec. 26.

The probable starters for the Buena Vista includes Charmaine’s Mia, the winner of the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs on turf on Jan. 9 in her first start for trainer Phil D’Amato. The five-time stakes winner Warren’s Showtime is another candidate.

Charmaine’s Mia worked five furlongs on the infield dirt training track in 1:00.40 on Sunday.

“I’ll stretch her out and try her in the Buena Vista,” D’Amato said. “I thought she won with something in reserve last time. There aren’t any sprint stakes that she is eligible for. Now is a perfect time to try it.”

:: Get Brad Free’s Betting Strategies for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita

Baltas has a strong core of runners that will return to racing in coming months.

Venetian Harbor, the winner of two Grade 2 stakes in 2020 for 3-year-old fillies, has resumed activity for Baltas at San Luis Rey Downs training center. Tetragonal, second in the Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in October, has resumed training. She was a late scratch from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November because of an injury.

Vertical Threat, the winner of the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley on Nov. 23, and Bodhicitta, the winner of the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar in August, will return to the stable soon, Baltas said.