Scipio may venture outside California for spring stakes

Last summer and fall, Scipio amassed a collection of hard-luck losses in three turf stakes at one mile. This winter, he is collecting wins at Santa Anita, most recently in Sunday’s $101,000 Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course.

This spring, Scipio is highly likely to race outside of California for the first time in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes, a $600,000 race for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Keeneland on April 4.

“That’s a lot of money for a Grade 3,” trainer Richard Baltas said on Monday. “I’ll definitely look at it.”

Baltas said the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at one mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 9 is “a little quick back.”

For now, Scipio will remain on turf. Baltas said he has some hesitation in moving Scipio off turf for a race such as the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks, a $777,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on the synthetic track at Turfway Park on March 22.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

“I don’t know if I want to put him on synthetic,” Baltas said.

What Baltas does know is that Scipio will not be fitted with blinkers anytime soon. Scipio raced without blinkers for the first time in the Baffle and overcame trouble when the field crossed from the hillside turf course to the main turf course to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the 9-10 favorite under jockey Flavien Prat.

“I’m glad we got the blinkers off the horse,” Baltas said. “[Prat] really thought he responded well to that. He had a ton of horse.

“We need to get him to relax. I think we’re in good shape. We could be okay. He has a lot of upside.”

Baltas has two leading mares in his stable who have returned to training after early winter breaks. Ag Bullet, a five-time stakes winner in the last two years, is jogging after a 60-day rest following a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 1.

Joey Tran and Calvin Ngyuen own Ag Bullet and Scipio.

Sweet Azteca, a winner of three stakes in 2024, including the Grade 1 Beholder Mile last March, has started galloping after a few weeks of jogging. Baltas began training Sweet Azteca for owner and breeder Pamela Ziebarth after the 5-year-old mare returned to the track following a 90-day rest. Sweet Azteca was previously trained by Michael McCarthy.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.