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 wrapped up a third-straight year-end training title at The Maryland Jockey Club-operated racetracks, Russell's horses usually command heavy attention on the Preakness undercard. But not in the main event.
Nor the Kentucky Derby (G1). Nor the Belmont Stakes (G1). She has yet to have a starter in the Triple Crown despite averaging 25% winners the last three years. Yet that could all change in five months.
Russell finally has a cause for Kentucky Derby aspirations with Balboa, who was a solid third in the Remsen Stakes (G2) last time out and will make his first start as a newly turned 3-year-old Jan. 3 in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes over a mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"It's really exciting," Russell said. "This group and Tom Ryan (the ownership group's managing partner), they have all been really supportive. They have sent me some horses that maybe needed a little change of scenery in a sense. I wouldn't have a grade 1 win without them. It's a great feeling at this stage of the year to have a 3-year-old (in 2026) who can be a major player."
A son of Not This Time , Balboa was bought for $875,000 at the Keeneland September Sale by the SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables-headed partnership that includes Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. As is customary with the group's top 2-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 twice being outrun 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 immediately responded with a 5 1/4-length score in the six-furlong James F. Lewis III Stakes on Nov. 8 at Laurel Park.
Balboa then stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Dec. 6 Remsen and battled for the lead until the final sixteenth, when he weakened and finished third, 3 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Paladin.
"I was really pleased with his race in the Remsen. I knew stretching out 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, handsome horse. Maybe he's a touch immature, but that's probably a good thing at this point since there's some room for improvement," Russell said.
As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Jerome offers 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top 5 finishers—though there will be at most four starters after Mailata romped when racing in an alternative spot in a Dec. 30 stakes at Parx Racing.
Balboa already has 4 qualifying points, but based on what happens Saturday, he could need a passport to continue on the road to Louisville on the first Saturday in May. According to his connections, an option for Balboa could be the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3) on Feb. 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.
"Everything is on the table at this moment. There's a lot of options," Russell said. "Obviously we hope he wins Saturday and we are then looking at bigger things."
With just three rivals in the starting gate, the bulk of the competition should come from Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables' (which also owns a share of Balboa) stakes-winning My World.
A son of Essential Quality , My World has won his last two starts for trainer Brad Cox and is coming off a 3 1/2-length win in the mile Nashua Stakes Nov. 1 at the Big A.
Owing to its short field, the Jerome is positioned early on the card as the third race.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, January 3, 2026, Race 3Entries: Jerome S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Enforced Agenda (KY) Flavien Prat 123 George Weaver - 2 Freedom's Echo (KY) Dexter Haddock 123 Guadalupe Preciado - 3 My World (KY) Jaime Rodriguez 123 Brad H. Cox - 4 Balboa (KY) Manuel Franco 123 Brittany T. Russell - 5 Mailata (PA) Mychel J. Sanchez 123 Robert E. Reid, Jr. -
Six 3-Year-Old Fillies Vie in Busanda
Three-year-old fillies will also be featured on Saturday's card at the Big A with a field of 6 entered in the $150,00 Busanda Stakes, also over a one-turn mile.
Part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) series, the Busanda awards 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top 5 finishers.
The top threats include Shilling, who won the Tempted Stakes for trainer Ken McPeek but finished fourth in the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) last time out, Russell's multiple stakes-winning Dazzling Dame, and Britain, a recent maiden winner over the track for trainer Chad Brown.
Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, January 3, 2026, Race 7Entries: Busanda S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Midnite Ginny (KY) Sahin Civaci 123 Jose Lozano Sanchez - 2 Britain (NY) Manuel Franco 123 Chad C. Brown - 3 Shilling (KY) Christopher Elliott 123 Kenneth G. McPeek - 4 Two Bits (KY) Jaime Rodriguez 123 Amelia J. Green - 5 Dazzling Dame (MD) Jevian Toledo 123 Brittany T. Russell - 6 Believable (KY) Flavien Prat 123 Todd A. Pletcher -
