Lady Prancealot, Neptune's Storm could make next starts on the road

ARCADIA, Calif. – With Lady Prancealot on Saturday and Neptune’s Storm on Sunday, trainer Richard Baltas won turf stakes with 3-year-olds at Santa Anita that could lead to highly lucrative trips out of town next month.

This week, Baltas will be checking his phone for calls from New York and invitations to Grade 1 races at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Belmont Park on July 6.

Sunday morning, Baltas discussed the option of starting Lady Prancealot in the $750,000 Belmont Oaks for fillies on July 6. On Saturday she won the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

“If we get invited, we’d have to strongly look at it,” he said.

By Sunday afternoon, Neptune’s Storm was a candidate for the $1 million Belmont Derby, at least in Baltas’s mind. Neptune’s Storm won his second consecutive stakes in the Cinema on Sunday.

“There is always the Belmont Derby,” he said.

On a more local basis, both horses have options at Del Mar.

Lady Prancealot could start in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf on July 20 or the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 17.

“I think she can run any distance,” Baltas said.

Lady Prancealot won her first stakes in the $150,702 Honeymoon Stakes, closing from sixth in a field of seven. Lady Prancealot is an Irish-bred by Sir Prancealot. Baltas previously trained another Sir Prancealot filly, the multiple graded stakes winner Madam Dancealot.

Baltas said Lady Prancealot reminds him of Madam Dancealot.

In her final start, Madam Dancealot finished second by a nose in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes here in May 2018, a narrow loss that still stings Baltas.

“She got beat the dirtiest of noses,” he said.

Neptune’s Storm won the Singletary Stakes at a mile on turf on April 28 in his first start for Baltas, and won the $150,000 Cinema Stakes at 1 1/8 miles by a length. If Neptune’s Storm stays in California, turf races such as the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 4, and the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 1 will be considered.

“He can rate and sit up close with natural speed,” Baltas said. “We might have a good horse.”