Hoppertunity just isn’t getting any respect

The buzz surrounding this year’s $6-million Classic on Saturday has naturally focused on the certifiable most popular horse in the world, California Chrome, and his possibly more talented understudy, Arrogate.

But while most all the questions to trainer Bob Baffert are about his lightning-quick 3-year-old, a few stalls down sits the other horse Baffert has in the race, Hoppertunity.

The 5-year-old has quietly but assuredly put together a great career. He has won six of 22 racing against the best in the world. He has lost three times this year to Chrome. His last eight races, he has posted a speed figure of 100 or higher.

“Hoppertunity is like Rodney Dangerfield. He’s like, ‘I get no respect,’” Baffert said, while trying for an imitation of the late comedian, imaginary tie pulled in his hand.

“He runs so much better away from California. He likes a deeper, softer racetrack. Right now he couldn’t be doing any better. He’s coming into this race better than he ever has.”

Hoppertunity will be breaking from the nine and is listed at 15-1 on the morning line. California Chrome is even money and Arrogate 5-2.

It’s close to race time

California Chrome went through a strong 1¾-mile gallop Tuesday under regular exercise rider Dihigi Gladney.

“Whenever he schools, he knows it’s getting closer to race time and he starts getting aggressive,” Gladney said.

The plan is to take him to the gate before his morning gallop Wednesday. Even though Chrome has run 24 races, trainers almost always take their horses through traditional prerace activities such as being in the paddock and approaching, and sometimes standing, in the gate.

First look at the track

Tepin, the slight favorite in the Turf Mile, got his first look at the Santa Anita track when she jogged a mile before sunrise. The 5-year-old mare has won 13 of 22 races almost exclusively on the East Coast, except for a win in June at Royal Ascot in Britain.

“She loves going different places and travels better than the rest of us,” said trainer Mark Casse. “Tepin is very versatile and her last race [second at Keeneland] we would have like to have won, but once we won at Royal Ascot, it was our main objective.”

Early Derby look

Not This Time, the slight favorite in the Juvenile, had a routine gallop over the unfamiliar Santa Anita dirt. The 2-year-old, running for Dale Romans, was installed as the favorite at 7-2, with Classic Empire at 4-1. For a change, the top 2-year-old horses are East Coast based instead of California.

Not This Time, after little effort in his debut at Churchill Downs, has posted 10- and 8¾-length wins at Ellis Park and Churchill.

“He’s here because he’s talented, he’s smart and he has a great pedigree,” Romans said. “He looks like the race horse you would draw if someone told you to draw one. He deserves to be the favorite.”

[email protected]