Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will aim for his third consecutive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, knew he had one strong contender for that $6 million race in runaway Travers Stakes winner Arrogate. Now, it appears he has two.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will aim for his third consecutive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, knew he had one strong contender for that $6 million race in runaway Travers Stakes winner Arrogate. Now, it appears he has two.
Hoppertunityshowed he has the credentials to belong when the Classic is run on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., by overtaking Effinex with a resolute stretch run to win the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a “Win and You’re In” qualifying race for the Classic.
Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s well-traveled assistant, said of pace-setting Arrogate, who romped in the Travers with a sizzling track-record performance, and Hoppertunity, “They are two completely different horses. It’s a good position to be in. We are very excited about Arrogate and Hoppertunity.”
According to Barnes, Baffert targeted the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup for Hoppertunity some time ago, preferring that to the 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again at Santa Anita won last week by California Chrome. “We always thought he would like the big turns here and the deep track,” Barnes said.
Hoppertunity, a 5-year-old sired by Any Given Saturday, won for only the second time in his last 14 starts. That record, to some extent, reflects the difficult company he encountered. He ran third behind California Chrome and Mubtaahij in the Dubai World Cup and settled for fourth in the Gold Cup and Pacific Classic out West in his previous three starts.
Barnes said Hoppertunity would return to his West Coast base on Sunday to begin preparations for the Classic.
The only negative from the race was that Hoppertunity suffered an abrasion on the back of his left foreleg. “He ran down through the bandages a bit,” Barnes said. “It should be superficial.”
Jockey Mike Smith insisted he was proud of Effinex’s performance. “He ran a winning race,” he said. “I just didn’t finish first.”