Santa Anita Derby: Hoppertunity works five furlongs, might go in race

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hoppertunity, the winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 15, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 at Santa Anita on Sunday, leading trainer Bob Baffert to deem the colt a “possibility” for Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby.

Hoppertunity has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $410,720 for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. By Any Given Saturday, Hoppertunity was fourth in his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 22 and rebounded to win the Rebel Stakes over 1 1/16 miles by a half-length.

Hoppertunity bumped with runner-up Tapiture in the stretch of the Rebel. After a stewards’ inquiry and a jockey’s objection, the order of finish was not changed.

Hoppertunity is one of three possible starters trained by Baffert for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby over 1 1/8 miles. He considers the unbeaten Bayern and The Admiral, an allowance race winner March 16, as candidates. Bayern also is possible for the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on April 12.

The Santa Anita Derby is led by the 2014 stakes winners California Chrome and Candy Boy. Other expected runners are Big Tire, Dublin Up, Friendswith K Mill, Rprettyboyfloyd, and Schoolofhardrocks.

California Chrome, the winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 8, is the likely favorite. Candy Boy won the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 8.

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

Kristo, third in the San Felipe Stakes, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 on Sunday, preparing for the $1 million Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Trained by John Sadler, Kristo was second in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in his stakes debut Jan. 11.

Sadler plans to send Kobe’s Back to Aqueduct for Saturday’s $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs. Kobe’s Back won the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs in February and was seventh in the Rebel Stakes.