Hopkins Seeks Repeat Victory in Palos Verdes

Hopkins  highlights a short field of five in a bid to capture a second consecutive running of the six-furlong $100,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 10.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 6-year-old son of Quality Road   earned his first graded stakes victory in the 2023 edition when winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Shipped to Dubai, he set the pace and finished fourth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), passed late by Sibelius , Switzerland , and Gunite  .

Off since that effort, Hopkins returned Jan. 19 at Santa Anita with a second-place finish after setting the pace in an open allowance for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm, and Bob Masterson.

A big upset in race 7 at Santa Anita as the biggest price on the board #4 SEE THROUGH IT ($38.00) catches the tiring leaders in the stretch. Tiago Pereria was in the irons for Salvador Naranjo.

Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/4809jJkFGv

— TVG (@TVG) January 19, 2024

Defeating him that day was Belico Racing and Lizbeth Medina's See Through It , who at 18-1 pulled the upset while carrying three pounds fewer than Hopkins. The 7-year-old California-bred son of Curlin to Mischief  will get a two-pound break again from Hopkins as he makes his graded stakes debut for trainer Genaro Vallejo.

Also in the field is William Peeples' California-bred Big City Lights , who has finished no worse than second in eight starts with two stakes victories and four stakes placings.

The Palos Verdes is the second race Saturday with a post time of 1 p.m. PT.