With an evenly-matched field of eight signed on, Saturday's GII San Antonio S. at Santa Anita is anyone's for the taking. “TDN Rising Star” Donworth (Tiznow) makes his first start on the West Coast for trainer Doug O'Neill after being purchased by Reddam Racing for $550,000 during the Racing Age section of last year's Keeneland November sale. A debut winner sprinting at Gulfstream Mar. 14, the dark bay finished second when exteneded to a route in Keeneland's GIII Lexington S. Apr. 11 and was third in Pimlico's Sir Barton S. on the GI Preakness S. undercard May 16. Heavily favored in an off-the-turf renewal of Delaware's Stanton S., Donworth romped by 11 lengths to earn a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 95 and has been working well since moving to Arcadia at the end of last year.
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert saddles a pair of contenders in 2014 GI Clark H. winner Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) and last out optional claimer winner Cat Burglar (Unbridled's Song). Mike Pegram Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Hoppertunity, who was third behind champions Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) and California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in this test last term, has not seen the winner's circle since taking last January's GII San Pasqual S., but has been right there in just about every start since. Second in Arcadia's GI Awesome Again S. Sept. 26 and Keeneland's GII Fayette S. Oct. 30, the 5-year-old was second to Effinex (Mineshaft) by just 3/4 of a length when attempting a title defense in the Clark Nov. 27. The bay was third last time behind the comebacking California Chrome and reopposing Imperative (Bernardini) in this venue's 1 1/16-mile GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 9.
Michael Lund Petersen's Cat Burglar, who completed the trifecta in a trio of graded events, beat the reopposing Cyrus Alexander (Medaglia d'Oro) by a neck last out a stakes quality allowance here Jan. 8. Prior to that effort, Spendthrift Farm and Stonestreet Stable's Cyrus Alexander captured a one-mile optional claimer at Los Alamitos Dec. 20 for Jerry Hollendorfer.
Zayat Stables's “TDN Rising Star” El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) makes his 4-year-old debut in this spot for trainer John Terranova. Winner of a trio of graded events in 2014 and 2015 and third in the Apr. 4 GI Wood Memorial S., the gray was scratched the day before the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby with a quarter crack and was subsequently sidelined for just short of seven months. Fifth in his return in Belmont's GIII Bold Ruler H. Oct. 31, he won the City of Laurel S. Nov. 14 and was fourth behind champion Runhappy (Super Saver) last time in the seven-panel GI Malibu S. here Dec. 26.
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