Runners for 'Team Baffert' Head San Antonio

Dortmund may be on the sidelines for now, but Bob Baffert still holds a good hand going into the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita Park.

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Hoppertunity and Cat Burglar will contest the 1 1/8-mile main-track test for the Hall of Fame trainer, with Hoppertunity using the race as a springboard to the March 26 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). Baffert will also see Zayat Stables' El Kabeir go postward for close friend John Terranova II.

In Baffert's shedrow in Southern California since early December for New York-based Terranova, who often returns the favor when Baffert ships horses east, El Kabeir will have his 4-year-old debut and a return to longer distances Saturday. A winner of the mile Jerome (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack in January of his 3-year-old year and also a winner of the 1 1/16-mile Gotham (gr. III) in March, the son of late sire Scat Daddy   most recently ran fourth to champion sprinter Runhappy in the Dec.26 Malibu (gr. I) going seven furlongs at Santa Anita.

With two bullet works serving as his most recent over the Santa Anita main track, El Kabeir would appear to like his new base of operations. He gains the services of Gary Stevens for the first time from the outside in a field of eight.

Hoppertunity, the grade I-winning 5-year-old by Any Given Saturday, was third behind Shared Belief and California Chrome   in this race last year. He took the Clark Handicap (gr. I) and San Pasqual (gr. II) prior to his San Antonio defeat in 2015, but has not won since. Out of 17 lifetime starts for Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, his last 11 have been consecutively run in grade I or grade II company. Last out Jan. 9 at Santa Anita, he was third behind California Chrome and grade II winner Imperative in the San Pasqual (gr. II). Flavien Prat replaces Martin Garcia, who will be aboard allowance winner Cyrus Alexander for Jerry Hollendorfer. Hoppertunity departs post 5 while Cyrus Alexander will chase his first graded win from the 3 hole.

Michael Lund Petersen's Cat Burglar returns to his preferred track under Rafael Bejarano from the rail as he attempts to win his first added money event. The 6-year-old by Unbridled's Song has never run worse than second in six tries at Santa Anita and most recently comes off a win in a mile allowance Jan. 8 against Cyrus Alexander.

Grade I winner Hard Aces carries highweight of 121 pounds, but needs to return to the form that saw him gallop to his only graded victory in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (gr. I) last June. In four starts since, he turned in a trio of sixths in grade I company and then returned from one such effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) to finish fourth in the San Pasqual. Joe Talamo rides for John Sadler from post 4.

Rounding out the field are recently acquired Donworth, for Reddam Racing and Doug O'Neill, 2014 San Antonio winner Blingo, and Imperative.