From DMTC Publicity
DEL MAR, Calif. (July 15, 2015) — Spanish Queen, winner of the Grade II Honeymoon Stakes and Grade I American Oaks at the Santa Anita spring meeting, is stabled at Del Mar with a target of the Grade I, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday, August 15.
Following the victory in the May 30 American Oaks, the 3-year-old California-bred daughter of Tribal Rule shipped to Belmont Park in New York for the July 4 Belmont Oaks.
Ridden by Brice Blanc, aboard for all five of her starts, Spanish Queen finished 10th in a field of 14 in a race won by undefeated – but since injured—super filly Lady Eli.
“She had a very troubled trip,” trainer Richard Baltas said Tuesday morning. “But she’s back here now and she’s looking good.”
Baltas notched his first two Del Mar stakes victories in 2014 with Big Macher in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes during the summer meeting and the same horse in the Cary Grant Stakes in the Bing Crosby fall session. Big Macher is about to go back into training after a break and might make a race here near the end of the meeting, Baltas said.
He intends to run Majestic City in the San Diego Handicap on July 25 and is cautiously optimistic about overall chances for the 40 horses he’ll have here.
“I feel good about (prospects),” Baltas said. “It’s always tough down here, but hopefully they’ll run well and we’ll win a stake or two.”