Hoppertunity Rolls Late to San Antonio Repeat
Bob Baffert came into the $300,000 Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes with a strong hand, but it was his second choice Hoppertunity who ran down stablemate and race favorite Mor Spirit in the final stages. The six-year-old son of Any Given Saturday accomplished going from last to first to earn back-to-back wins in the San Antonio.
At the break, El Huerfano earned the jump out of the starting gate and took the lead over 50-1 shot Avanti Bello. Jockey Mike Smith and 9-5 favorite Mor Spirit raced in third on the outside with Dalmore settling in between the two Hronis Racing entrants, Accelerate on the rail and Hard Aces on the outside. With Flavien Prat aboard, Hoppertunity took up his usual position at the rear.
El Huerfano led the first half-mile through quick fractions of :23.18 and :46.30. Accelerate moved up into fourth, while behind him Hoppertunity made his way past Hard Aces and then Dalmore. Avanti Bello failed to maintain his forward position and the rest of the field closed in on him.
Rounding the turn for home, Mor Spirit began to bore down on El Huerfano with three-quarters of a mile going on 1:10.39. Accelerate and Hoppertunity were both making bids on the outside, but Accelerate could not shake the Baffert duo. Hoppertunity continued rolling past his rivals, finishing the 1 1/16 miles race in 1:42.55 with a one-length victory.
“He’s always slow out of the gate,” Prat said of Hoppertunity, “he’ll never be fast and he likes to come from off the pace. Once he starts running, you just have to let him run and do his thing. The worst part for me is the first part of the race, because I have to ask him. But then he just takes you to the wire.”
Off at 5-2, Hoppertunity returned $7.00, $3.40, and $2.20 while his stablemate delivered $3.40 and $2.40. Accelerate, also 5-2, got up in time for third and paid $2.20. El Huerfano ran fourth, followed by Hard Aces, Dalmore, and Avanti Bello. Prospect Park was scratched.
For Mor Spirit, Smith commented, “This race should really set him up. Now he’ll be really fit to run huge next time out. But the seven-eighths…I think he got something out of it, just not enough. He still ran great.”
“He (Hoppertunity) was training really, really well for this,” said Baffert. “It’s like the best I’ve ever seen him train. Prat worked him the other day and the track was really fast. He went 10 and four (Jan. 30). I was afraid they went too fast but they were doing it the right way.
“I was really happy about Mor Spirit. I thought for sure turning for home he was going to win it. But Hoppertunity, he just grinded it out, came running, and I’m happy for the (owners) Pegram, Watson and Weitman team. This horse has been a lot of fun for them. There’s nothing like having a good horse. That’s why we’re in the business, so as long as he’s doing well we’ll go to Dubai (World Cup, March 25) and see if we can get another win.”
Hoppertunity was a $300,00 yearling purchase from Betz Thoroughbreds and has now made $4,066,425 for owners Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman. His second San Antonio win improved his career record to 25-7-6-4.
“I was a little concerned about the mile and a sixteenth today, but he handled it,” commented Watson. “We’re excited. He’s been doing really well and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
By Christine Oser