Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Collected preps for Pegasus
ARCADIA, Calif. – The 2 1/4 lengths that separated Gun Runner and Collected in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4 defined the 2017 season for the colts.
Gun Runner is almost certain to be named Horse of the Year next month for his 2017 campaign, which ended with the win in the BC Classic. Collected was beaten for the first time in 2017 when second in the BC Classic.
This winter, Collected is expected to have one more rendezvous with Gun Runner in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27. Collected will have a vital prep race in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Tuesday.
The $300,000 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles is the second-richest race for older horses on dirt at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, which begins Tuesday. The race was previously run in early February and has been repositioned to late December as a prep for the Pegasus World Cup.
While Collected is expected to be sent to Florida, some runners from the San Antonio could start March 10 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, which will be worth $600,000 in 2018, down from $750,000 in 2017.
Owned by Speedway Stable, Collected will be a strong favorite in a field of six in the San Antonio. Prior to the BC Classic, he won four consecutive stakes, including the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August. From early April to late June, Collected won three stakes at Santa Anita, including a 14-length victory in the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in June.
The other five runners in the San Antonio Stakes have all won stakes in the last year: Accelerate, Giant Expectations, Hoppertunity, Prime Attraction, and Top of the Game.
KEY CONTENDERS
Collected, by City Zip Last 3 Beyers: 114-115-111
◗ Collected, who will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, often races near the front. In the BC Classic, he fought for the lead with a quarter-mile remaining but could not keep pace with Gun Runner in the final furlong. The BC Classic was Collected’s first start since the Pacific Classic in August.
“He got a little tired at the end,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He ran a good race. I don’t know if I should have given him a prep before that.”
The San Antonio Stakes comes more than four weeks before the Pegasus World Cup, which Baffert said gives Collected sufficient recovery time if he is tested in the San Antonio.
“You don’t want too hard of a race,” he said.
Prime Attraction, by Unbridled’s Song Last 3 Beyers: 104-102-101
◗ Prime Attraction won his first stakes in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Del Mar on Nov. 25. The San Antonio could lead to a start in the Pegasus World Cup, according to trainer Jim Cassidy.
“If he runs big or wins, we’ll go forward,” he said.
Cassidy has full respect for Collected.
“I’ve always liked Collected,” he said. “He’s a tough horse. If we beat that horse, we’ve got to go to the Pegasus.”
◗ Prime Attraction is likely to race near the front under jockey Victor Espinoza.
Hoppertunity, by Any Given Saturday Last 3 Beyers: 101-97-102
◗ Hoppertunity won the San Antonio last February and was later sixth behind Arrogate in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. Hoppertunity was off until the fall, finishing second to Top of the Game in the Comma to the Top Stakes in October and third in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24.
◗ Baffert said Hoppertunity could be a candidate for the Dubai World Cup in March, a race in which he was third behind California Chrome in 2016.