SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017

By Ed Golden —-

BARN FAVORITE HOPPERTUNITY RETURNS ON SATURDAY
D’AMATO HAS TWO FOR THE MONEY IN TWILIGHT DERBY
BOLT D’ORO SET FOR FINAL MAJOR JUVENILE WORKOUT

BIGGER FISH TO FRY DOWN THE ROAD FOR HOPPERTUNITY

Racing’s Hall of Fame might do well to have a private wing for Bob Baffert’s runners,
both current and recent vintage.

Arrogate, Abel Tasman, Collected, Drefong, Mor Spirit, Mubtaahij and West Coast come presently to mind, as does member-in-waiting American Pharoah, who ended a 37-year-old drought by capturing racing’s elusive Triple Crown in 2015.

And then there’s Hoppertunity.

A superstar in any other barn, Hoppertunity is the sixth man on Baffert’s varsity of world-class equine starters.

A six-year-old full horse by Any Given Saturday, Hoppertunity runs for the first time since finishing sixth by 10 ¾ lengths behind stablemate Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup last March 25, when he goes postward in Saturday’s Comma to the Top Stakes, a modest gig for three-year-olds and up at a flat mile offering $70,000 in purse money.

Baffert also has entered Donegal Racing’s Irish Freedom, a three-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile making his first start in four months.

The Comma to the Top likely is a steppingstone for Hoppertunity, winner of more than $4.2 million in a 26-race career that has resulted in seven wins, six seconds and four thirds.

Even though Baffert is on record as saying the bay Kentucky-bred owned by long-time clients Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman is better suited for races at longer distances, the Hall of Fame trainer hopes the Comma to the Top is a starting point.

“Irish Freedom had a nice win last out on Aug. 13 (winning by 5 ¼ lengths at Del Mar), but he’s been off because the race took a little bit out of him,” Baffert said. “He’s working well now, though, and hopefully he’s getting better with age.

“We would have liked to run him in the Breeders’ Cup (Dirt) Mile but it might have been a bit tough for him, so this is a good start back.

“One thing about Hopper: he is a good horse. He’s got a lot of class behind him, he’s doing really well. He’s a barn favorite. He’s been around forever. Old Hopper, it seems like he’s been here for 10 years, but he’s come back really well, and after this, I’m thinking maybe the Clark at Churchill Downs (Nov. 24) and then maybe another run at Dubai (March 31, 2018). Last year he didn’t run very well. I don’t know why; I thought he would.”

The field for the Comma to the Top, formerly run as the Big Bear Stakes: The Lieutenant, Victor Espinoza; Top of the Game, Kent Desormeaux; Irish Freedom, Rafael Bejarano; Hoppertunity, Flavien Prat; El Huerfano, Corey Nakatani; Curlin Rules, Drayden Van Dyke; and Avanti Bello, Evin Roman.

D’AMATO’S CHANCES BRIGHT IN TWILIGHT DERBY

Phil D’Amato, still in the hunt for leading trainer honors with four days left in the 19-day Autumn Meet, trailing leader Richard Baltas, 9-6, sends out two three-year-olds in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf: Bowies Hero, a three-time stakes winner on grass, and Troublewithatee, winner of two straight but making his stakes debut.

Bowies Hero was third last out, beaten only a length in a four-wide bid in the Grade II Del Mar Derby Sept. 3, the rider losing his whip en route. Troublewithatee, a gelded son of Into Mischief, won his last two outs by a head each time, at a mile and a mile and an eighth, respectively, under Corey Nakatani who retains the mount.

Kent Desormeaux rides Bowies Hero for the first time.

“Desormeaux is about as good as there is riding on the grass,” D’Amato allowed. “He’s superb, so we’re trying him on Bowie to see if he can make up that length on the other contenders. The horse is doing really well.

“This marks the first stakes for Troublewithatee, but he’s won two in a row after being gelded, and to me, he’s a horse on the improve. I like horses that have won on this turf course this meet.
“Some horses really like it and some don’t, and he’s one that does, so we’re going to see if we can make it three in a row.”

The field: Cistron, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Cowboy Culture, Florent Geroux, 6-1; Big Score, Flavien Prat, 4-1; Bowies Hero, Kent Desormeaux, 5-1; Just Howard, Fergal Lynch, 4-1; Sharp Samurai, Gary Stevens, 7-2; Troublewithatee, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; Channel Maker, Drayden Van Dyke, 10-1; Profiteer, Mike Smith, 6-1; Dangerfield, Kyle Frey, 50-1; and Ann Arbor Eddie, Mario Gutierrez, 20-1.

UNBEATEN BOLT D’ORO IN FINAL JUVENILE BREEZE SUNDAY

Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite Bolt d’Oro will have his final major workout Sunday, 7:45 a.m., for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4. Owner/trainer Mick Ruis said the $630,000 son of Medaglia d’Oro will breeze five furlongs under regular rider Corey Nakatani, walk at Santa Anita Monday, then ship south Tuesday for the Big Dance.

Bolt d’Oro worked five furlongs last Sunday under Nakatani in 1:01.40.

In other Breeders’ Cup news:

Bargain claim Skye Diamonds (Filly & Mare Sprint) worked six furlongs on Santa Anita’s training track at 7:15 Thursday in 1:16.20 under Tiago Pereira for Bill Spawr.
Expressing satisfaction of her fitness to date, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Unique Bella, favored to win the seven furlong Filly & Mare Sprint, may not have another major work for the race on Nov. 4.
The gray daughter of Tapit worked five furlongs at Santa Anita Wednesday in a bullet 59.20, fastest of 30 drills at the distance. Also Wednesday, Hollendorfer sent Battle of Midway (Dirt Mile) six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.80, and Grade I winner It Tiz Well (Distaff on Nov. 3) six furlongs in 1:15. Roy H (Sprint) went five furlongs Wednesday for Peter Miller in 1:03.
FINISH LINES: Thoroughbred owner Gino Roncelli and Harvey Ross Jr., winner of $529,000 in Santa Anita’s single ticket Pick Six Jackpot Pick 6 on an $80 ticket, will be Tom Quigley’s guests Saturday and Sunday, 11:05 a.m. and 11:20 a.m., respectively, in the East Paddock Gardens. First post time for Saturday’s 11-race program is 12:15 p.m. . . . Through closing day Sunday, just in time for Halloween, Santa Anita offers a Pumpkin Festival in the Family Fun Zone featuring an Infield full of activities. Inflatable jumpers, face painting, carnival games, pony rides, a playground and a chance to meet the immortal “Seabiscuit” are part of the package which can be purchased online at santaanita.com/events at a discount.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Sunday, Oct. 22)
Jockey
Mts
1st
2nd
3rd
Win%
ITM%

Evin Roman
93
13
10
15
14%
41%
$397,386
Kent Desormeaux
48
12
6
3
25%
44%
$687,161
Tyler Baze
85
11
14
10
13%
41%
$615,096
Corey Nakatani
33
9
2
3
27%
42%
$485,450
Rafael Bejarano
52
8
9
5
15%
42%
$416,720
Drayden Van Dyke
54
8
2
4
15%
26%
$488,800
Flavien Prat
84
7
18
17
8%
50%
$1,039,027
Stewart Elliott
42
7
5
3
17%
36%
$216,973
Tiago Pereira
55
6
5
1
11%
22%
$236,150
Gary Stevens
27
6
3
3
22%
44%
$224,350
Joseph Talamo
49
5
9
9
10%
47%
$415,206
Santiago Gonzalez
39
5
5
5
13%
38%
$179,130

Trainer
Mts
1st
2nd
3rd
Win%
ITM%
Money Won

Richard Baltas
45
9
7
2
20%
40%
$339,268
Peter Miller
41
8
3
5
20%
39%
$463,685
Philip D’Amato
43
6
11
5
14%
51%
$393,000
Vladimir Cerin
19
6
4
1
32%
58%
$154,080
Mark Glatt
32
5
6
3
16%
44%
$193,081
Richard Mandella
20
5
4
3
25%
60%
$490,725
Jerry Hollendorfer
34
5
3
8
15%
47%
$238,820
Peter Eurton
25
5
3
3
20%
44%
$181,323
J. Keith Desormeaux
25
4
2
4
16%
40%
$240,710
Mick Ruis
18
4
2
0
22%
33%
$260,050
Neil Drysdale
17
4
1
5
24%
59%
$166,130

About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.