Balboa looks for a knockout in Jerome from Aqueduct

If you’ve attended the Preakness Stakes (G1) in recent years, you’re no doubt well aware of trainer Brittany Russell.

The undisputed Queen of Maryland Racing who recently captured their third straight training title at the Maryland Jockey Club-operated racetracks, Russell’s horses typically draw a lot of attention on the Preakness undercard. But not in the main event.

Not even the Kentucky Derby (G1). Nor the Belmont Stakes (G1). She hasn’t had a starter in the Triple Crown yet, despite averaging 25% winners over the past three years. Yet that could all change within five months.

Russell finally has a reason for his Kentucky Derby aspirations Balboa who finished a solid third last time out in the Remsen Stakes (G2) and will make his first start as a 3-year-old in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes over a mile on January 3 Aqueduct racecourse.

“It’s really exciting,” Russell said. “This group and Tom Ryan (the ownership group’s managing partner) have all been very supportive. They have sent me some horses that maybe needed a little change of scenery in a way. Without them I wouldn’t have had a Grade 1 win. It’s a great feeling at this stage of the year to have a 3-year-old (in 2026) who can be a key player.”

A son of Not this time Balboa was purchased at the Keeneland September Sale for $875,000 by the partnership led by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, including Dianne Bashor, Certain Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. As is customary with the group’s top two-year-olds, Balboa was sent to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in California.

Balboa had limited success on the West Coast, winning one of his first four starts and being defeated twice in stakes company.

Bred by Albaugh Family Stables in Kentucky, he was sent to Russell in Maryland after finishing fifth in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) and responded immediately with a 5 1/4 length score in the six-furlong James F. Lewis III Stakes on November 8 at Laurel Park.

Balboa then stretched to 1 1/8 miles ahead of the December 6 Remsen and battled for the lead until the last sixteenth, when he weakened and finished third, 3 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Paladin .

“I was very pleased with his race in the Remsen. I knew going to a mile and an eighth was a big ask, but I think he ran well and took a step forward. It was a promising effort. He’s a big, good-looking horse. Maybe he’s still a bit immature, but that’s probably a good thing at this point as there’s room for improvement,” Russell said.

As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Jerome 10-5-3-2-1 offers points to the top 5 finishers, although there will be a maximum of four starters afterward Miles romp while racing at an alternate site in a December 30 stakes on Parx Racing.

Balboa already has four qualifying points, but based on what happens Saturday, he may need a passport to continue on to Louisville on the first Saturday in May. According to his connections, one option for Balboa could be the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3) on February 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.

“Everything is on the table right now. There are a lot of options,” Russell said. “We obviously hope he wins on Saturday and then we look for bigger things.”

With only three rivals in the starting lineup, most of the competition should come from Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables (which also owns a stake in Balboa) who won the stakes. My world .

A son of Essential quality My World has won his last two starts for trainer Brad Cox, coming off a 3 1/2-length victory in the mile Nashua Stakes on Nov. 1 at the Big A.

Thanks to the short field of participants, the Jerome is already on the map as the third race.