Lewis winner Balboa could try G2 Remsen
The Biz- November 15, 2025
Balboa, the recent winner of the James F. Lewis, III on Nov. 8 at Laurel Park, could book his next fight in the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen on Dec. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong youth route offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers.
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Trained by Brittany Russell for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Dianne Bashor, Vastberaden Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan, Balboa used a prominent approach in the six-furlong James F. Lewis, III to post a 5 1/4-length victory on muddy and closed surfaces.
The Not This Time colt made his first four starts in California for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, graduating second in August at Del Mar in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint. He followed with a pair of rocky efforts in Grade 1 Company when he finished fifth in both the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity in September and the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah in October at Santa Anita Park.
SF Racing’s Tom Ryan said a change of scenery allowed Balboa to show more punch.
“He won the stakes impressively last time at Laurel and he did it on his own. He’s a big, powerful, strong colt who probably benefits from the faster tracks on the East Coast,” Ryan said. “Bob always believed he had the ability, but he was struggling on the surface in California. His advice was to send him to Brittany and see how he would handle faster circuits with possibly a bit more moisture in them.”
The $875,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase comes from the winning War Front mare Tap of War – a full sister to Halladay, who won the 2020 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap. His second dam is two-time Grade 3 winner Hightap.
“He’s a beautiful colt and Not This Time has no ceiling on what they can become – they can be sprinters, milers or two turns; they can be grass or dirt,” Ryan said. “He is one of those unique stallions who seems to have all the right tools to produce good racehorses.
“We feel like he should be able to stretch out,” Ryan added. “He clearly needs to step up, but I’m not sure why we wouldn’t give him the chance to prove himself.”
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