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Hunter is Great in Lewis In his sophomore debut, J. Paul Reddam's GREAT HUNTER (Aptitude) made an impressive four-wide move into the lane and pulled clear by 1 1/4 lengths to eclipse the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) at Santa Anita on Saturday. Rating toward the rear early while wide under Corey Nakatani, the talented colt got his cue as the field turned for home. The Pennsylvania-bred rapidly responded, inhaling the foes in front of him in a few strides and ultimately stopping the teletimer in 1:42 4/5 for 1 1/16 miles on the fast track. Conditioned by Doug O'Neill, the dark bay was sent off as the 4-5 favorite and returned $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20. "As Paul (Reddam) said, we weren't expecting to win today," O'Neill said. "We just wanted a good performance and something to build on, and he ran better than we expected. It was race-horse time." "He just ran a tremendous race," Nakatani said. "The plan today was to kick clear and gallop out strong. He did just that. Stormello, who we've beaten twice, ran a huge one in the East today (when just getting caught in the final jump in the Fountain of Youth S. [G2]), so we're looking forward to a good first Saturday in May." Sam P. (Cat Thief) tracked in third early, moved into contention turning for home and fought back valiantly after being passed late to be a clear second. The runner-up was good for $4.60 and $3.40 as the 6-1 third choice. "He ran a good race, but I was on the bicycle the whole time," Garrett Gomez said of his trip aboard the runner-up. "You like to have them just a little bit more willing. He's the kind of colt that doesn't care about much of anything right now. But if we can get that light bulb on, he'll be a pretty good colt." Saint Paul (Sweetsouthernsaint), another 2 1/4 lengths behind, was prominent early but could not match strides with the top pair late, settling for the show at 5-1 to return $3.20. The exacta ($1) paid $8.10 and the trifecta ($1) was worth $33.30. The late-running Boutrous (Tiznow) was another 3 1/4 lengths back in fourth at 7-1, concluding the $148.10 superfecta ($1) (8-7-5-9), and was followed by French Transition (Giant's Causeway), Scat Thief (Cat Thief), Tiago (Pleasant Tap), Hurry Up Austin (Lake Austin) and Tap It Light (General Meeting). During his fine freshman campaign, Great Hunter was victorious in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) and placed in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Best Pal S. (G2), Del Mar Futurity (G2) and Hollywood Juvenile Championship S. (G3). For his career, the dark bay colt boasts an 8-3-4-1 mark with earnings of $750,000. The winner was bred in the Keystone State by Ivy Dell Stud and is the second foal produced from the stakes-winning Zenith (Roy). Great Hunter has a two-year-old half-sister named Glitzen Glory (Honour and Glory) as well as an unnamed yearling half-brother by Golden Missile. O'Neill indicated that Great Hunter could use the April 14 Blue Grass S. (G1) over Keeneland's Polytrack as his final prep for the May 5 Kentucky Derby (G1).
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