Sword Zorro and Hubris principal players in Cinema Stakes

The little dude and the big dude will meet for the first time in Sunday’s $100,000 Cinema Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita.

Trainer John Sadler describes Sword Zorro as a colt on the small side who compensates for his size with a patient running style. Sword Zorro won the $100,500 Singletary Stakes at a mile on April 25.

“He’s not a big horse,” Sadler said. “He’s got a beautiful stride.”

Conversely, trainer Richard Baltas said Hubris is “a very tall, long horse.”

Hubris tends to run near the front and has developed rapidly in recent starts for his stakes debut in the Cinema Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Sword Zorro and Hubris are two of five entrants in the Cinema Stakes, which includes the speedy Jimmy Irish, who was second in the California Derby on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields in his stakes debut April 24. Also entered are Airman and Hudson Ridge, the first two finishers of a May 1 maiden special weight race at a mile on turf.

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Sword Zorro, owned by Yuesheng Zhang, was imported from Ireland last winter. An Irish-bred by Zoffany, Sword Zorro was fifth of nine in the Baffle Stakes at six furlongs on turf in his American debut on Feb. 5.

“It was too short for him,” Sadler said. “I thought it was a good starting place. We got a race in him.”

In the Singletary, Sword Zorro closed from last of six in the final quarter-mile with a wide rally to lead in the final furlong.

“I think he’s progressing,” Sadler said. “We’re in the third race of a cycle. He’s taken nice steps.”

Umberto Rispoli rode Sword Zorro in the Singletary and retains the mount in the Cinema.

Hubris will be ridden for the first time by leading jockey Flavien Prat. Hubris was a troubled ninth in a maiden special weight race at six furlongs on turf in January, well-beaten by Rock Your World, who later won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for Sadler.

More recently, Hubris won an $80,000 claiming race for maidens at 1 1/8 miles on turf by six lengths on Feb. 27, and was second to Du Jour in an allowance race at a mile on turf March 28. Du Jour won the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1 in his following start.

“I really think he wants a mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter,” Baltas said. “Hopefully, he keeps growing into his body.”

Hubris is likely to stalk Jimmy Irish, who set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile California Derby.

“He doesn’t have to be on the lead,” Baltas said of Hubris. “I think he will be forwardly placed, especially going a mile and an eighth. He has natural speed.”

Jimmy Irish, previously trained by Jonathan Wong, is now in the barn of Doug O’Neill. A gelding, Jimmy Irish led throughout his debut in a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs on April 4 at Golden Gate Fields. The Cinema Stakes will be Jimmy Irish’s turf debut.