Hoppertunity opens four-year-old campaign with San Pasqual win

"He was training well but I worry about him on this track because (Garcia)

has to ride the horse, let him just pick it up and build it up and he'll come

running late," Baffert added. "He saved ground with him, he didn't panic.

"He rode a really smart race today; it was good."

Appealing Tale, the 12-1 seventh choice in the wagering, outfinished 27-1

outsider Blue Tone by a neck for runner-up honors.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Hoppertunity returned a

paltry $3.60 win mutuel as the 4-5 favorite among 11 rivals. He pushed his

earnings past the $1 million mark, bankrolling $1,070,675 from a 8-4-2-0 career

line.

Hopperturnity also captured the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park last

spring and finished second to California Chrome in the Santa Anita Derby.

Baffert was asked about future plans.

"We had this race in mind," the Hall of Fame conditioner said. "We know every

race is going to be different, so we'll just let him space his races out. He

could show up anywhere; I don't know yet."

The $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 is a logical target.

Bred in Kentucky by Betz/D.J. Stable/Kidder/J. Betz/Robenalt, Hoppertunity

was purchased for $300,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale. He is

out of the Grade 2-placed Unaccounted For mare Refugee, who is also the dam of

multiple Grade 1 winner Executiveprivege and multiple stakes-placed Profit.

Hoppertunity counts champion Davona Dale as his third maternal dam.

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