Ginobili, Going to Vegas Bring Top Form to BC Races

Trainer Richard Baltas is well aware of the competition that awaits his two runners entered in Breeders' Cup races Nov. 6, but with Going to Vegas  and Ginobili  each entering off of multiple wins—including victories at Del Mar—the Southern California-based conditioner has plenty reason for optimism.

Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse's Going to Vegas rolls into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) off three straight wins—including two scores on the Del Mar course. Claimed by Baltas for the current owners for $50,000 in June 2020, Going to Vegas has ascended to the top of Southern California-based female turf runners.

At the time of the claim, Baltas said he was looking to acquire horses and, with a condition remaining, Going to Vegas, a 3-year-old daughter of Goldencents  , looked like a good candidate. He also likes claiming 3-year-olds, as they still may be developing.

Going to Vegas wasted little time in doing just that. She closed out 2020 with three straight runner-up finishes in graded stakes, including the American Oaks (G1T). This season Going to Vegas has taken things to another level.

In March Going to Vegas secured her first stakes win with a front-running score in the Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. After a fifth-place finish in the Gamely Stakes (G1T), Going to Vegas then won a second level allowance-optional claiming race going 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar and followed with a victory there in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T). 

Baltas said Going to Vegas was always very keen and a key with her was getting her to relax. A few starts after the claim, Baltas removed her blinkers and that also helped her settle down.

On Oct. 2 she delivered her biggest win to date, a front-end score in the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita. As the Rodeo Drive is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, that victory landed the former claimer a spot in the Filly & Mare Turf.

She finished off serious preparations for Saturday's 1 3/8-mile test with a half-mile move in :49 1/5 on Oct. 31 on the Del Mar turf. The move on the firm ground was the fastest of five at the distance.

"Going to Vegas is doing fabulous," Baltas said Nov. 2. "I mean, she just worked a half-mile here on Sunday—in typical fashion strong the whole way. She came out of it great and is doing as good as she could do. She's happy; she's got great energy to jog today."

Bing Bush, founder and manager of Abbondanza Racing, liked what he saw visually with the Halloween work—no tricks on this morning.

"Sometimes at the end of a work she tends to lug in a little bit, but today she didn't," Bush told Del Mar publicity. "She did it very easily and galloped out very nicely, so we couldn't be happier."

Since being claimed for $50,000, Going to Vegas has earned $561,140. Going to Vegas is entered in Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's The November Sale, although Baltas is still hoping for the chance that she comes back for another racing season.

That is quite the example of a plan coming together as Medallion is an owner that likes to pick up fillies and mares with an aim toward sales, if they can be improved.

Meanwhile Ginobili, who is campaigned by Slam Dunk Racing, Baltas, Jerry McClanahan, and Michael Nentwig, will enter the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) off back-to-back wins—including a victory on the track at the race distance. 

Ginobili finished fourth as a juvenile in the 2019 Del Mar Futurity (G1) and earned a grade 2-placing last year but he entered that mile test at Del Mar—an allowance level race—off nine straight losses. In his first try at the mile distance, Ginobili would run the best race of his life to score by 9 3/4 lengths and earn a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 113.

With the slump over, Baltas found himself looking for a stakes race for Ginobili's next start. As the 4-year-old son of Munnings   had run so well at Del Mar, he opted for the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2). In that race Ginobili rated off Brickyard Ride before taking command in the stretch for a clear victory—earning his first stakes win.

The Pat O'Brien is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race and awarded Ginobili a spot in the Dirt Mile. Knowing how well he ran in the allowance race at that distance at Del Mar, accepting that bid—as opposed to maybe shortening up for the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)—was an easy decision.

The season turned with that July 17 win at Del Mar.

"Once he won the mile race—that was such big race," Baltas noted.

The outcome of that race could get even bigger Saturday.