Hoppertunity Confirmed for San Antonio Start

Grade I winner Hoppertunity will run in the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes (gr. II), trainer Bob Baffert confirmed after the 4-year-old son of Any Given Saturday worked six furlongs at Santa Anita Park Feb. 1.



Hoppertunity will face a field that includes Horse of the Year California Chrome and 2013 2-year-old champion Shared Belief in the Feb. 7 San Antonio. Both are making their 4-year-old debuts in the 1 1/8-mile prep for the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) that could attract as many as 10 entrants.



Owned by Karl Watson, Paul Weitman and Mike Pegram, Hoppertunity worked six furlongs in company in 1:14 1/5 the morning of Feb. 1 at Santa Anita under regular rider Martin Garcia. Stablemate Doctor Dempseywas clocked in 1:14 3/5.



"He's running," said Baffert, who was also considering Hoppertunity for the Donn Handicap (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park. The Hall of Fame conditioner expressed satisfaction with Hoppertunity's workout time, saying, "That's good for him."



Entries will be taken for the San Antonio Feb. 4. Hoppertunity enters off a win in the San Pasqual Stakes Jan. 10 at 1 1/16 miles. In his previous start, the bay colt captured the Clark Handicap (gr. I) at the San Antonio distance at Churchill Downs Nov. 28, Hoppertunity won last year's Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park and was subsequently second to California Chrome in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). 



Hoppertunity has four wins and two seconds from eight starts and has earnings of $1,070,675.



Shared Belief is to have his final tuneup for the San Antonio the morning Feb. 3 at Golden Gate Fields, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. Scheduled to ship by van to Santa Anita the following morning, Shared Belief will be ridden in the San Antonio by Mike Smith.



Winner of the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at seven furlongs in his most recent start Dec. 26, Shared Belief has eight victories from nine lifetime starts and earnings of $2,032,200.