Vertical Threat wins Steel Valley Sprint Stakes

Vertical Threat had a timed workout at the San Luis Rey Training Center Nov. 14. The 3-year-old colt raced at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, Ohio, Nov. 23, and won the Steel Valley Sprint Stakes.

"It was pretty impressive. I was pretty happy," said trainer Richard Baltas.

The victory gave Vertical Threat three wins in five career races. The July 25 Smiling Tiger Stakes at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, and Vertical Threat, along with jockey Heriberto Figueroa, won that by a 5 1/4-length margin for his first stakes victory.

The next race for Vertical Threat was the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes competition Sept. 5 at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville. Vertical Threat and jockey Tyler Gaffalione led for the first three-quarters of a mile before falling to third at the beginning of the stretch and finishing sixth among the seven 3-year-olds.

"I think he's more of a shorter distance horse, a lot of natural speed," Baltas said.

Baltas returned Vertical Threat to the six-furlong distance with the Steel Valley Sprint Stakes. Figueroa, who also rode Vertical Threat for the horse's first victory June 27 at Los Alamitos Race Course, rode the colt at the Youngstown track.

The Steel Valley Sprint Stakes was also for 3-year-olds. Initially 14 horses were entered, but a trainer scratch and a stewards' scratch reduced the field to 12. Vertical Threat had the first post position.

"I was concerned that he drew the rail in a great field," Baltas said.

Vertical Threat also had the disadvantage of being shipped to Ohio. Youngstown had snow the morning of Oct. 23, and it rained in the afternoon. The skies were cloudy but dry when the horses left the gate, but the dirt course was muddy.

Figueroa and Vertical Threat broke sixth among the 12 horses. "Of course, I was concerned. He had the rail. Any time you draw the rail in a sprint you have to use your horse early in the race to catch up," Baltas said.

Williston Way broke first, but after a quarter of a mile Vertical Threat had the lead. Williston Way was second, a length behind Vertical Threat and half a length in front of third-place Flatter Me Please. Vertical Threat completed the first two furlongs in 22.89 seconds.

The first half-mile took Vertical Threat 45.59 seconds and he led Williston Way, who was still in second, by 1 1/2 lengths. At the beginning of the stretch Flatter Me Please had taken over second and was a head in front of Williston Way but 3 1/2 lengths behind Vertical Threat, who reached that point 57.63 seconds into the race.

"The jockey did a great job," Baltas said. "He made the lead pretty easy and then he got him to relax."

The battle turned out to be for second place. Williston Way edged Flatter Me Please by a head while Flatter Me Please finished 6 1/2 lengths ahead of fourth-place Night Time. Vertical Threat won the race in 1:10.07 and had a 7 1/2-length margin of victory.

"I'm pretty happy with it," Baltas said.

Baltas wasn't surprised by such a large margin of victory but wasn't necessarily expecting it. "There's no such thing as a sure win on the racetrack," he said.

The 7 1/2-length win added to overcoming shipping, the weather, and the rail. "I knew the horse had talent," Baltas said.

Vertical Threat was foaled in Kentucky on March 8, 2017. He was sired by Tapiture out of Viola Blew By and was sold for $100,000 at the April 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale.

Vertical Threat did not race as a 2-year-old and made his debut May 23 at Santa Anita Park, where he finished third among the 12 horses in a 5 1/2-furlong race.

The Steel Valley Sprint Stakes had a total purse of $200,000. The first-place portion of that was $112,800, which gives Vertical Threat career earnings of $182,950.

Vertical Threat may run in the Dec. 26 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, but Baltas has not yet made a decision about that seven-furlong Grade 1 stakes race. "We're going to get him back here," Baltas said. "We'll evaluate him and see and then we'll go from there."

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].