Hoppertunity knocks in rowdy Rebel

Winner holds ‘position’ in stretch scrum

Mike Smith, left front, raises his whip as he and Hoppertunity begin to move on Strong Mandate, center, with Joel Rosario aboard, and Ride On Curlin, front right, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, in the far turn of the Rebel Stakes horse race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., Saturday, March 15, 2014. (AP Photo/David Quinn)

Mike Smith, left front, raises his whip as he and Hoppertunity begin to move on Strong Mandate, center, with Joel Rosario aboard, and Ride On Curlin, front right, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, in the far turn of the Rebel Stakes horse race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., Saturday, March 15, 2014. (AP Photo/David Quinn)

Sunday, March 16, 2014

HOT SPRINGS - Hoppertunity made the most of his opportunity in the $600,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes.

Hoppertunity emerged from an eventful stretch run to edge favored Tapiture by a half-length on an overcast Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park and provide Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with his fourth victory in the past five years in the major Kentucky Derby prep race.

Then, before a season-high crowd of 30,873, Hoppertunity and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith survived a foul claim and a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to earn 50 points in the Kentucky Derby eligibility system, which is used if more than 20 horses enter the race.

Tapiture, under leading rider Ricardo Santana Jr., finished a half-length ahead of Ride On Curlin. It was another 1 ½ lengths farther back to Strong Mandate, the second betting choice, in fourth.

The stretch run included Tapiture and Hoppertunity (on the outside) brushing inside the three-sixteenths pole, then Tapiture, the $2.00-to-1 betting favorite being squeezed by Hoppertunity and Strong Mandate (on the inside) just past the eighth pole.

Strong Mandate, who held a narrow lead at the eighth pole, was in tight after Ride On Curlin, along the inside, drifted out.

The top four finishers were abreast - tightly - in midstretch.

“It was a pretty roughly run race by some fast horses,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Tapiture.

Santana claimed foul against Hoppertunity for interference in midstretch; there was a stewards’ inquiry involving Hoppertunity, Tapiture and Strong Mandate.

Tapiture was boxed in, racing to the inside of Hoppertunity and just behind leaders Strong Mandate and Ride On Curlin turning for home.

Stewards deliberated for more than 10 minutes before letting the result stand.

In a statement released by Oaklawn, association steward Larry Snyder said the stewards’ decision was based on Santana pushing his way out from behind Strong Mandate “as the horses were straightening out in the stretch.”

Snyder, a winner of more than 6,000 races in his career, said Smith “was just holding his position.”

Strong Mandate was 7 ¼ lengths clear of fifth-place finisher Sheltowee’s Boy, who was followed, in order, by Street Strategy, Kobe’s Back and Jet Cat.

Hoppertunity paid $14.20, $5.80 and $4.20. Tapiture paid $3.80 and $2.60. Ride On Curlin paid $4.60.

The winning time for 1 1/16 miles over a wet-fast track was 1:43.90.

The track had been sealed, or packed down to keep water from penetrating the surface, about two hours earlier because of intermittent rain showers.

Hoppertunity was saddled by Baffert’s top assistant, Jimmy Barnes.

“We had enough horse that he wasn’t getting by,” Barnes said, referring to Tapiture. “Mike said he just started running when he got bumped. That just made him run faster. He’s tough.”

Hoppertunity, a son of Any Given Saturday, increased his career earnings to $410,720 following his second victory in four lifetime starts.

Hoppertunity, based in Southern California, was coming off a fourth-place finish in the $400,000 Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Baffert didn’t decide to fly the colt to Arkansas until an encouraging 5-furlong workout Tuesday at Santa Anita near Los Angeles.

Hoppertunity races for the familiar partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, who won the 2010 Rebel with champion Lookin At Lucky and the 2012 Rebel with Secret Circle - both trained by Baffert.

Baffert also won the Rebel in 2011 with The Factor.

Baffert said Hoppertunity could return for the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 12.

Baffert won the race in 2012 with Bodemeister.

At the post

DAY 36 ATTENDANCE 30,873 ON-TRACK HANDLE $2,165,538.40 OFF-TRACK HANDLE $6,933,901.04 TOTAL HANDLE $9,099,439.44 CLASSIX CARRYOVER $9,506.25.

SATURDAY’S STARS Ken Tohill and Dave Mello each rode two winners.

TODAY’S TIMES First post for the 10 races is 1:30 p.m. Gates open at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION HRTV (races 7-9), TVG (full card). Oaklawn Replay Show (8 p.m., Resort Cable Channel 5, Hot Springs; 11 p.m., KARZ, Channel 42, Little Rock).

PRICES Admission $2. Parking in Oaklawn lots $2. Reserved seats $4.50. Weekends programs $2. Daily Racing Form $5, $6.50, $7.50. Tip sheets $2-$5.

TODAY’S WAGERING MENU

Win-place-show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagering offered on all races

Daily double (races 1-2, 8-9)

CLASSIX (races 3-8)

Pick-3 (rolling begins with race 2)

Pick-4 (races 2-5, races 6-9) TODAY’S SIMULCASTING SCHEDULE Tampa Bay Downs (11:25 a.m.), Calder (11:55 a.m.), Gulfstream Park (12:05 p.m.), Turfway Park (12:10 p.m.), Aqueduct (12:20 p.m.), Fair Grounds (1:25 p.m.), Hawthorne (1:45 p.m.), Santa Anita (2:30 p.m.), Golden Gate Fields (2:45 p.m.).

Winners’ circle HORSE Hoppertunity JOCKEY Mike Smith TRAINER Bob Baffert FRACTIONAL TIMES 24.06, 47.97, 1:12.24, 1:37.58 FINAL TIME 1:43.90 FAST FACT Horses trained by Baffert have won four of the past five Rebels AT THE WINDOW NO. HORSE WIN PLACE SHOW 5 Hoppertunity $14.20 $5.80 $4.20 3 Tapiture $3.80 $2.60 2 Ride On Curlin $4.60 AT THE TRACK ATTENDANCE 30,873 ON-TRACK HANDLE $2.16 million OFF-TRACK HANDLE $6.93 million TOTAL HANDLE $9.1 million WAGERING ON REBEL $1.84 million

Sports, Pages 21 on 03/16/2014