Accelerate, Midnight Storm could join cast for San Antonio

The Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 4 could come up deeper than anticipated. Accelerate, the runner-up to Midnight Storm in the Grade 2 San Pasqual, is a likely starter, while Midnight Storm has not been ruled out of the 1 1/16-mile San Antonio.

Silent Bird, the likely favorite Friday in a one-mile allowance race, is another San Antonio candidate.

But the richest horses likely for the San Antonio are the Bob Baffert-trained Hoppertunity and Mor Spirit. Baffert said Wednesday that both are aiming for the $300,000 San Antonio.

Hoppertunity, a two-time Grade 1 winner who has earned $3,886,425 from 24 starts, will be making his first start since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap on Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs. Hoppertunity worked a half-mile in company Wednesday in 47.20 seconds.

Mor Spirt, a closing fourth in the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, will stretch out to his preferred two-turn trip in the San Antonio. The Malibu was his first start since finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby. Mor Spirit has won three races, including the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, and earned $676,400.