Hoppertunity aims to end skid

ARCADIA, Calif. – More than 14 months have elapsed since Hoppertunity won the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita in February 2017. In his 29-race career, Hoppertunity has never gone that long without a victory, part of why he has earned $4,347,025 and won six stakes.

Sunday’s Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita could easily mark the end of the losing streak for Hoppertunity. For a graded stakes, the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles has not drawn a strong field. Hoppertunity is the only graded stakes winner among six entrants. The other five have all run in at least one claiming race since September.

This is Hoppertunity’s race to win and a chance to test him for the first time at the distance.

“We’re trying to find a spot for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “We need a W badly.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Hoppertunity, by Any Given Saturday Last 3 Beyers: 101-101-97

◗ Hoppertunity has had four starts since the San Antonio Stakes. He was sixth behind Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup in March 2017 and second in the Comma to the Top Stakes at Santa Anita last October. Hoppertunity was third in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs last November and fourth in the San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26.

The Tokyo City will be Hoppertunity’s first start of 2018.

“I’ll run him here and he’ll go back East,” Baffert said.

◗ Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Hoppertunity was entered in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 10, but was scratched on race day. Baffert said Friday Hoppertunity would not have been effective on a wet-fast track that afternoon.

“He wouldn’t have been a factor with the way the track came up,” he said.

◗ Sunday’s new distance is unlikely to pose a problem. Hoppertunity won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park in October 2016 and was third behind California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup at the same distance earlier that year.

Twentytwentyvision, by Pollard’s Vision Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-84

◗ Twentytwentyvision will start at 1 1/2 miles for the first time on Sunday in his 23rd start. Claimed for $62,500 at Del Mar last November, Twentytwentyvision was third in an optional $62,500 claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf here in January and fourth in a similar race at a mile on turf on Feb. 15. He was eligible to be claimed in both starts.

◗ The Tokyo City will be Twentytwentyvision’s first start on dirt since a seventh in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in 2017. He was third in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy and sealed track in January 2017.

◗ Trainer John Sadler expects the Tokyo City Cup to be run at a slow early pace with a faster final half-mile, a race shape that may help Twentytwentyvision.

“He’s run on dirt before,” Sadler said. “I think it will play like a turf race.”