Santa Anita: Hoppertunity joins Baffert's prospect list

ARCADIA, Calif. - After finishing fifth sprinting in his debut, Hoppertunity successfully stretched out and defeated maidens in his second start Thursday when going a mile, becoming the latest in a long line of promising 3-year-olds based here with trainer Bob Baffert.

“He looks like a big, two-turn horse,” Baffert said after the race. “He was just kicking it in gear at the end there.”

Baffert said Hoppertunity “sat back and came running” when going seven furlongs in his debut. Baffert won the race with Bayern, who also was making his debut.

Bayern “got a little sick on me,” Baffert said, after the win Jan. 4, but Baffert said that Bayern and Tap It Rich would be ready to go anew “in a couple of weeks.”

The mercurial Tap It Rich worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds Thursday morning as he attempts to rebound from a disastrous effort last time out in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park.

“He went really nice,” Baffert said. “He’s getting there, slowly, but he’s getting there.”

Baffert said he had intended to run Tap It Rich in the Grade 2, $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes next Saturday, Feb. 8, but had to back off when the horse got sick a couple weeks ago and had to be treated with antibiotics.

Baffert will start at least Midnight Hawk in the Lewis. Midnight Hawk, unbeaten in two starts, won the Sham Stakes last time out. Others pointing to the Lewis include John Sadler-trained Candy Boy, who was the CashCall Futurity runner-up, and Patrick Biancone-trained Diamond Bachelor, who has not raced since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Baffert said Indianapolis, who won the San Pedro Stakes, will come back in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes going seven furlongs on Feb. 16. He said he could send the unbeaten Chitu to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17. Chitu comes off an allowance win Dec. 27.