Baffert's Hopper gets first start since June in San Pasqual
Idle since June 11, Bob Baffert’s Hopper will be bidding for his second consecutive graded stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita as he leads a field of nine older horses going 1 1/8 miles.
A runaway 5 1/2-length winner of the Affirmed Stakes (G3) last June, Hopper, broke his maiden going seven furlongs in his second start on May 7 of last year. He earned a solid 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the Affirmed and, despite his lack of recency, could pose an elusive front-running target in the San Pasqual.
Hopper will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for a sixth-place finish in his six-furlong maiden turf debut three starts back on Feb. 25, 2022. By the War Front stallion Declaration of War, Hopper is out of the Caesour mare Irridescence.
Most recently third going 1 1/8 miles in the Native Diver Stakes (G3) on Nov. 27 at Del Mar, Phil D’Amato’s Newgrange posted a 97 Beyer two starts back in taking a one-mile classified allowance in gate-to-wire fashion at Santa Anita on Nov. 6.
A 4-year-old colt by Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, Newgrange will be ridden for the first time by leading man Juan Hernandez.
Newgrange, winner of last year’s Sham (G3) and Southwest (G3), has an overall mark of 7: 4-0-2. He is easily the leading money earner in the field with $325,000.
Perhaps the biggest question mark in the San Pasqual is the Peter Miller-trained Perfect Flight, a handy winner of the ungraded Zia Park Derby two starts back on Nov. 22 but a distant ninth at Santa Anita going seven panels in the opening-day Malibu Stakes (G1) on Dec. 26.
Twice graded stakes-placed routing on turf last year, Perfect Flight has good tactical speed and will be ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo. A 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, Perfect Flight, who is 3-for-7 on dirt and is owned by Gary Barber, looms dangerous at a price.
A winner of the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in August 2021, 6-year-old Tripoli fits well with these horses and always merits respect in this context. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli will get the first-time services of Kizushi Kimura, who seeks his third stakes victory of the young meet.
A full horse by Kitten’s Joy, Tripoli is 21: 4-4-3 overall with earnings of $920,460.