San Pasqual to have South American flavor

ARCADIA, Calif. – Former South American runners will have a strong influence on the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, four of the 10 probable starters began their careers in Argentina, Brazil, or Chile – Baccelo, Big Cazanova, Bronzo, and Salto Del Indio. All have raced in the United States since at least last summer.

Baccelo was a Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2013. The Grade 2 San Pasqual will be Baccelo’s graded stakes debut in the United States and the horse’s third start for trainer Paulo Lobo. On Dec. 20 at Los Alamitos, Baccelo won for the first time in this country, taking an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles.

“I think it’s much tougher,” Lobo said of the San Pasqual. “I think it’s up to him to improve.”

The San Pasqual Stakes, run over 1 1/16 miles, is a prep for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 7, a race expected to include top 4-year-olds Bayern, California Chrome, and Shared Belief. The San Pasqual is led by Hoppertunity, the winner of the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28. Other candidates include Appealing Tale, Blue Tone, Majestic Harbor, Quadrivium, and Tonito M.

◗ Shared Belief worked a half-mile in 50.60 seconds at Golden Gate Fields on Tuesday, his first major exercise since winning the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26. Jockey Russell Baze worked Shared Belief.

“We’re going forward,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “Right now, Shared Belief is a very happy horse.”