Oaklawn Park: Arkansas Derby or Santa Anita Derby next for Hoppertunity
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bob Baffert, the trainer of Hoppertunity, on Sunday morning at Santa Anita said the Rebel winner would run next in either the Santa Anita Derby on April 5, or return to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby on April 12. Both are $1 million races at 1 1/8 miles. Hoppertunity earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100 for his half-length win over Tapiture in the Rebel, a Grade 2, $600,000 race run Saturday.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
"He's progressing, that SOB, at just the right time," Baffert said.
“That horse, him winning the race, was pretty impressive. He wasn’t even on the radar in December, so big and awkward. He’s really coming into his own. He can run. He can run all day long.”
Baffert said he wanted to monitor Hoppertunity for the next two weeks before deciding on a race. A major concern regarding the Arkansas Derby, Baffert said, is that it would mean Hoppertunity would have shipped for three races in less than two months. Prior to the Rebel, he traveled to Fair Grounds for last month's Risen Star Stakes.
"He's already shipped twice. I want to see how he is," Baffert said.
If Hoppertunity runs at Santa Anita, that could mean Bayern -- who missed the recent San Felipe Stakes with a foot bruise -- could come to Arkansas. Bayern has returned to training at Santa Anita, and was out for a routine gallop on Sunday morning. Baffert said he would have time for one final prep before the Derby.
Bayern is ridden by Gary Stevens, who also rides Candy Boy, one of the leading contenders for the Santa Anita Derby. If Bayern goes to the Arkansas Derby, Stevens would not have a conflict at Santa Anita, and Baffert would be able to split both Bayern and Hoppertunity for their final Derby preps.
Hoppertunity had to endure a lengthy inquiry and jockey’s objection into the Rebel, run at 1 1/16 miles, before the order of finish was upheld by the stewards. The stretch run was a rough-and-tumble affair, involving Hoppertunity, Tapiture, Ride On Curlin, and Strong Mandate
Tapiture, the Rebel favorite off his win in last month’s Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest, showed determination Saturday, said his trainer, Steve Asmussen.
“That’s who he is,” Asmussen said. “Not exactly the trip anybody was hoping for, but the main thing is he’s a nice horse, and he came out of it in pretty good shape, and we’ll go back to the track with him and hope for the Arkansas Derby.”
Ride On Curlin, who was third in the Rebel, is also targeting the Arkansas Derby, trainer Billy Gowan said Sunday.
“I walked him myself this morning and it looks it looks like he came back really well,” he said.
Strong Mandate, who dueled with Ride On Curlin and finished fourth Saturday, is also a candidate for the Arkansas Derby.
“I think for the first time we had a trip,” said Strong Mandate’s trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. “We had an opportunity to win it, and we didn’t. We weren’t tight enough, or whatever, that last 100 yards.
“I’m looking for the next 30 days, and actually the next seven weeks.”
Hoppertunity ranks second to Samraat in preference points for the Kentucky Derby, with 55. Tapiture is seventh on the list with 42; Ride On Curlin ranks 14th with 15 points; and Strong Mandate is listed as 20th with 11.
- additional reporting by Jay Privman