Nations to make Monmouth his main summer base

Trainer Keith Nations has spent the winter at Tampa Bay Downs and, in the coming weeks, will be transitioning his stable to the Northeast.

Nations will be making a change this year and have his main string at Monmouth Park rather than Delaware Park, where he has been based the last two summers.

"Monmouth is the type of place where if my wife and I have an off day, we'll jump in the car and head over," Nations said. "It's so beautiful. It just makes you feel good to be there.

"You can tell some of those old tracks, like Monmouth, Hialeah, and Santa Anita, were built with a lot of pride."

Nations will be trimming the size of his operation. Last year, he had approximately 70 horses. He would like to limit his Monmouth stable to 30 head, while keeping a string of about 10 horses at Parx Racing.

"I'm focusing on quality over quantity and taking the guys who bring good young horses," Nations said. "We've got a good group of 2-year-olds, the best I've ever had, but if someone wants to claim something, we'll do it. I'll keep my Pennsylvania-breds at Parx.

"I have two good assistants and my guys at Parx. If we carry more horses we have to amp-up our staff and blow up our day rate. If you have too many horses you can miss things, too."

Going into the Sunday card at Tampa, Nations was tied for fourth in the trainer standings with 16 wins.

Nations' stable is led by Martini Glass, whom he claimed out of a debut victory for $16,000 at Tampa Bay in February 2016. She is now 10 for 23 with earnings of $863,000.

Martini Glass is in the best form of her career and has won the Grade 2 Azeri at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park in her two most recent starts. Nations considered sending Martini Glass to the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn this Friday, but is skipping that race in favor of the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.

"The La Troienne was part of our plan going into the Azeri," Nations said. "After she won, we thought about going back for the Apple Blossom, but this winter we've shipped her three times: to Gulfstream, to Sam Houston, and to Oaklawn and back. I don’t want to wear her out."

Nation's plans this summer for Martini Glass include the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap, a race she finished second in to Songbird last summer, plus the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland. If she were to perform well, Nations and co-owner Vince Campanella would consider nominating her to the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs.

"It's amazing to see, but she is getting better," Nations said. "She's a 5-year-old, in her prime, and she's figuring out how to beat good horses now."