Motion Emotion just latest road winner for Baltas

Southern California-based trainer Richard Baltas has had a run of stakes success on the road this year, with his latest such winner Motion Emotion in the $250,000 Zia Park Oaks on Wednesday.

His other out-of-state stakes victories in 2019 have come at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and Kentucky Downs.

Motion Emotion was due to arrive back home from New Mexico on Friday. Baltas said she will be nominated to the Grade 1, $300,000 La Brea, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26. The race is at her base of Santa Anita.

“It might be too short,” he said. “We’ll nominate and take a look.”

Motion Emotion was a half-length winner of the Zia Oaks, which was run at 1 1/16 miles. It was the first career stakes win for the daughter of Take Charge Indy.

“It was a good race,” Baltas said. “The filly ran her race. I was glad we made the trip.”

Baltas expects to see more action on the road next year, with a division at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. He said he received 15 stalls for the meet that opens Jan. 24.

Cohen to arrive at Oaklawn in late December

David Cohen, who won the 2019 riding title at Oaklawn, will return to the track in late December to start working horses for the meet, according to his agent, Bill Castle.

Castle also will represent Orlando Mojica at Oaklawn. He, too, will arrive after Christmas, Castle said. Mojica was fourth in the standings last meet at Oaklawn.

Cohen has some upcoming stakes engagements at Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds, and Aqueduct, Castle said. Mojica will be riding at Turfway before he heads to Oaklawn.

Last meet, Cohen was a regular aboard horses for M and M Racing, which won the owner title at Oaklawn.

◗ Agent Richard Ketner said he will represent jockeys Eddie Martin Jr. and Aubrie Green at Fair Grounds.