Hoppertunity makes four-year-old bow in San Pasqual
|
Two races following the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, 11 older runners will line up in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pasqual Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile affair might have taken a backseat to the Sham with its Triple Crown implications if not for the presence of Hoppertunity. The bay colt will be making his four-year-old bow in the San Pasqual off a game win in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on November 28. Hoppertunity took a long summer vacation following his runner-up effort behind eventual Kentucky Derby and Preakness victor California Chrome in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, but it wasn't a voluntary break. The Any Given Saturday colt earned enough points to make the 2014 Kentucky Derby field, setting up an exciting rematch with California Chrome, but was withdrawn the Thursday before that race with a foot problem. While a possible start in the Preakness was bandied about, Hoppertunity didn't return to competition until running a close second sprinting against optional claiming rivals in late October at Santa Anita. That set the Kentucky-bred up for the Clark, where Hoppertunity tracked in second under Martin Garcia before taking command in the lane and digging in to secure the half-length victory. The Bob Baffert trainee earned a career-best 104 BRIS Speed rating, and he'll try to duplicate the performance on Saturday against the likes of Tonito M., Majestic Harbor and Big Cazanova.
|
Tonito M. also earned the best BRIS Speed figure (103) of his career in his
sophomore finale, but didn't actually win that race. The Jerry Hollendorfer
pupil captured the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in late September before closing out
2014 with a runner-up effort in the Zia Park Derby. The Rock Hard Ten
four-year-old also placed in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby last season and gets
Rafael Bejarano back in the saddle on Saturday.
Majestic Harbor won or placed in half of his 2014 starts, including a 6
1/4-length romp in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita over the summer.
Unfortunately, the Sean McCarthy charge was unable to hit the board in his three
Grade 1 efforts following that race, running sixth in the Pacific Classic,
fourth in the Awesome Again Stakes and 13th in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Tyler
Baze was aboard for all those races and will attempt to steer the Rockport
Harbor seven-year-old back into the winner's circle in the San Pasqual.
Big Cazanova set a pair of track records at Del Mar last year, and closed out
his five-year-old campaign with a front-running score in the Grade 3 Native
Diver Stakes. The Peter Miller trainee garnered a career-best 101 BRIS Speed
rating for that triumph under Elvis Trujillo, who returns to the saddle for this
go around.
Also of note in Saturday's field are dual Grade 2 victor Mr. Commons, Native
Diver runner-up Blue Tone and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile fourth Bronzo, who will
make his first start for new trainer Neil Drysdale in this spot. Rounding out
the field are Group 1 winners Baccelo and Salto Del Indio, Grade 3-placed stakes
scorer Blue Tone, Grade 3 runner-up Appealing Tale and Quadrivium.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Authors
Categories
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Daily Selections
Full racecard analysis/expert picks for major tracks from America's top handicappers.
Buy Nowe-ponies Picks
E-Ponies computer-based figures have been around since 1997. Using an algorithm written by the business owner and handicapper, Liam Durbin, and powered by BRIS data files, E-Ponies offers a unique, fact-based, dispassionate analysis of every horse in every race, assigning scores for speed, class, form, connections, and more. Forget which jockey owes you money! What does the data say!
Buy NowBruno With the Works
Bruno De Julio & team bring 30+ yrs experience observing racehorses to Brisnet with valuable insight into their morning routines & chances for success in the afternoons.
Buy NowValue Plays AI by Predicteform
Full race card program with easy-to-use win chances and contender classifications for every runner plus analysis of the Best Bet, Live Longshot, and Wagering Suggestions for every race.
Buy NowADVERTISEMENT




