Lucky J Lane set for stakes debut in Crystal Water

ARCADIA, Calif. – Lucky J Lane can keep a weekend streak of stakes wins alive for trainer Richard Baltas when the 4-year-old makes his stakes debut in next Saturday’s $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes at Santa Anita.

Over the last two weekends, Baltas has had a stakes winner, scoring in the $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap with Majestic City in Texas on May 25 and in Saturday’s $400,250, Grade 1 American Oaks with Spanish Queen.

On Sunday, Baltas reflected on the recent success. He said he has tentative plans to point Spanish Queen for two turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar – the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap at a mile July 19 and the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles Aug. 15. A start in the $1 million Belmont Oaks in New York on July 4 is doubtful, he said.

“She’s happy, bright, and sound,” Baltas said.

Spanish Queen has won 3 of 4 starts. She beat maidens in her debut March 5, was second in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes on April 4, and won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap on May 3.

“I knew she was a good filly,” Baltas said. “To go from a maiden race to a Grade 2 to a Grade 1, that’s a good horse. She wants to please. She wants to run. She wants to train.”

Spanish Queen, who races for breeders Jack Nakkashian, Harry Bederian, and Harout Kamberian, has earned $423,600.

Baltas turned 54 Saturday. His stable numbers a personal high of 68 runners, with 40 horses based at Santa Anita and 28 with assistant Ruben Loza at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County. Loza is a former longtime assistant for the late Bobby Frankel and later worked for trainer John Shirreffs.

“I feel fortunate,” Baltas said. “I have horses that are developing into nice horses.”

Baltas said he is considering the $200,000 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles July 25 at Del Mar for Majestic City, a 6-year-old horse owned by Bloom Racing Stable. Majestic City is a four-time stakes winner.

Lucky J Lane, a 4-year-old gelding, races for Baltas, Kenji Morinaga, and the Summit Racing partnership. Lucky J Lane has won 4 of 11 starts, including three of his last four races. On Sunday, Lucky J Lane worked five furlongs in 1:01 for the Crystal Water, a one-mile turf stakes for California-breds.

“His works have been really good,” Baltas said.

Lucky J Lane will have a tough task of beating Forest Chatter, who has won his last four starts for trainer Richard Mandella, and will have his stakes debut in the Crystal Water Stakes.