Set as a longshot at a morning-line of 10-1 is Bob Baffert’s Hoppertunity. It would be surprising if this son of Any Given Saturday goes off anywhere near odds of 10-1. Although beaten by seven lengths by Intense Holiday in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), Hoppertunity was impressive in defeat. In only his third career start, the deep-closing Hoppertunity overcame traffic issues that forced him out six-wide at the quarter-pole. He was seventh at the top of the stretch and weaved in and out of traffic to cross the wire in fourth. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will be aboard for the Hall of Fame trainer.
“Hoppertunity is a nice colt, who is just developing,” said Baffert’s assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. “He’s lightly raced. Last time, it was unfortunate that he got shuffled back a little further than we wanted him to be. He was running at the end, but he had so much ground to make up that he needed to be another five or six lengths closer than he was. But, he handled it well, and we learned a little bit out of the race. He did show up.”
Another longshot worth mentioning is Street Strategy. The Randy Morse trainee comes in off a maiden win where he earned a Brisnet speed figure of 95. The grey/roan Street Sense colt lost his debut race by a nose only to come back and break his maiden by 6 ½ lengths. He’ll get the guidance of his daddy’s Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel, who knows the Oaklawn course as well as he knows Churchill’s. With others in the race more widely known on the Kentucky Derby trail, Street Strategy's odds will likely float up from his morning-line price of 8-1.
The field of eight from the rail out, with odds, is Jet Cat 30-1, Ride On Curlin 12-1, Tapiture 9-5, Strong Mandate 2-1, Hoppertunity 10-1, Sheltowee’s Boy 15-1, Street Strategy 8-1, and Kobe’s Back 7-2.
The race is the 10th race on Saturday’s Oaklawn Park card with a scheduled post time of 7:04 p.m. EDT. It can be seen on HRTV and TVG. Free PPs provided by Brisnet.
Photo: Oaklawn.com
