Trainer Baltas' female turf division growing stronger

ARCADIA, Calif. - As 2017 unfolds, trainer Richard Baltas’s female turf division is growing in strength.

Goodyearforroses won the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes on March 12 and is scheduled to start in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at a mile on turf at Keeneland. Place des Vosges, the winner of optional claimers in February and March, may run in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita on April 30.

Adding to their success, the Baltas-trained Hillhouse High and Mokat finished first and second in Saturday’s Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita. Along with Goodyearforroses, they could run in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes here on May 27.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have three for that race,” Baltas said Sunday.

Hillhouse High won her first stakes in the $200,690 Royal Heroine Stakes for John Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm Investment. Mabee is the son of the late John Mabee, the legendary owner and breeder who operated Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona, Calif.

“It was nice to win for John Mabee,” Baltas said. “They gave me a chance with that filly.”

Hillhouse High was trained by Chad Brown in New York through 2015 and joined Baltas last year. Hillhouse High has won 2 of 6 starts for Baltas. In the Royal Heroine, Hillhouse High stalked pacesetter Juno to early stretch and held off Mokat to win by a half-length.

“She had a perfect trip stalking the pace,” Baltas said.

Mokat finished in the first three for the first time since a win in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar last July. Mokat was fifth in the Grade 3 Buena Vista Stakes on dirt on Feb. 17, a race in which Hillhouse High was third.

-additional reporting by Jay Privman