Fair Grounds: Baffert could invade with Streaming, Hoppertunity

Trainer Bob Baffert is considering jumping into the Louisiana Preview Day card on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds and could have horses for both the Risen Star Stakes and the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, he said Wednesday.

Baffert could send Grade 1 winner Streaming for the Grade 3, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, while Hoppertunity, a maiden winner, could start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes.

“It’s not etched in stone yet, but I’m looking at it seriously,” Baffert said.

Streaming breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Tuesday at Santa Anita, her first timed workout since she finished second to Fashion Plate as the even-money favorite in the Feb. 1 Las Virgenes Stakes. Streaming, a daughter of Smart Strike, made her dirt debut in the Las Virgenes after winning a maiden race and the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes on Hollywood Park’s synthetic main track.

“She got a little tired the other day,” Baffert said of the Las Virgenes. “She’s much tighter now.”

Hoppertunity has started twice, finishing a closing fifth in his career debut going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita and winning a two-turn, one-mile maiden race there by three lengths Jan. 30. Hoppertunity, who worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds Monday at Santa Anita, is a half-brother to Executiveprivilege, who developed early, was one of the best 2-year-old fillies of 2012, and has proven best suited to races shorter than a mile.

Baffert, though, said Hoppertunity, by Any Given Saturday, appeared to be little like his sister.

“He’s totally different-made than her,” Baffert said. “He’s sort of a gangly horse, a big horse. He was just getting going when he won the other day. The longer, the better for him.”

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Martin Garcia rode Hoppertunity and Streaming in their most recent races, and Baffert said Garcia is the leading candidate to ride both horses if he ships them to Fair Grounds, though Baffert said he would wait before committing to a rider.

Baffert last won a race at Fair Grounds with Indian Blessing, who captured the 2008 Rachel Alexandra when it still was named the Silverbulletday Stakes after Baffert’s 1999 Fair Grounds Oaks winner. Baffert never has won the Risen Star but sent Code West to finish second by a nose in the 2013 edition of the race.