In his first start outside of California April 1, the Bob Baffert-trained Hopper thrived over the Oaklawn Park oval, turning back challenges from graded stakes winners Caddo River and Smile Happy to capture the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3).
Racing with blinkers off after weakening to fourth in the March 4 Santa Anita Handicap (G1), Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and Hopper hounded the frontrunning Atoka through brisk early fractions of :22.42 and :45.56 before edging ahead of that rival turning for home. Caddo River and Smile Happy, both exiting handy allowance level scores at Oaklawn and never far behind the pacesetters, each bid into the stretch.
Caddo River pounced first and dueled Hopper down the lane as Atoka gave way. Hopper dug in and repelled the Hard Spun colt, stretching for the wire as Smile Happy closed down the middle of the track.
Hopper, the close second favorite at 7-5 odds behind Smile Happy, streaked under the wire safe by 1 3/4 lengths. He completed the mile in a final time of 1:37.63 on a track rated fast. He paid $4.80 to win
"I think he's just learning how to run. He's a big, strong horse," Baffert said by telephone from his primary base in Southern California.
Caddo River and Smile Happy completed the trifecta. Smile Happy, in traffic while saving ground until the stretch, closed from last to finish a neck behind the runner-up.
"(Hopper) definitely has a lot of talent," Velazquez said. "He obviously hasn't run very much. He's still learning. Like even when he came down the lane, he's looking at the infield and drifting out a little bit. I tried to keep his mind on business, and he got it done."
Purchased by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni's X-Men Racing for $90,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Hopper races for partnership of Lanni, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing. The Oaklawn Mile was the second graded stakes victory for the 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, who triumphed in last year's Affirmed Handicap (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Hopper is out of the group 1-winning Caesour mare Irridescence, a champion in South Africa in 2005. Six of her seven foals have raced with three victorious. Hopper is her lone stakes winner.
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Eyeing Clover Turns Back Gun Pilot in Hot Springs
Three races after the Oaklawn Mile, sophomores competed over the same trip in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes, a race Ten Strike Racing's Eyeing Clover won by repelling Gun Pilot by a length.
Winning for the third time in four starts, with his defeat being a last-out fourth in the Gotham Stakes (G3) in his stakes debut March 4, Eyeing Clover ran a mile in 1:39.45. He paid $5.60 to win.
Florent Geroux was aboard the 3-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky, who raced with blinkers off Saturday for trainer Brad Cox. The Hot Springs was the first two-turn race of the colt's career, and his inexperience showed into the first bend when he seemed to drift out from an inside position when becoming rank when asked by Geroux to stalk the pace.
Wide-racing runner-up Gun Pilot, who moved with Eyeing Clover as the latter surged to the lead after six furlongs, finished well clear of Cactus in third. Powerful ran fourth.
Pacesetting Rocking Rocket ran last of five in a race depleted by the scratches of Carmel Road and Frosted Departure.
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