Hoppertunity (left) finishing second in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland – Keeneland Photo
The talented Hoppertunity, who won the 2014 Clark Handicap (gr. I), has his sights set on a start in the 2016 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) at Meydan, the world’s richest horse race with a purse of $10 million.
Trained by Bob Baffert, the four-year-old son of Any Given Saturday has not won a race since January but has competed well in some of the biggest races in the country this year, including a half-length defeat in the 2015 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on November 27th. According to the Churchill Downs Barn Notes for November 28th, the decision to target Dubai was announced on the morning after the Clark.
“That’s our long-term goal,” Baffert was quoted as saying. “He’ll go back to California and we’ll start getting him ready for Dubai.”
Hoppertunity is one of several talented U.S.-based runners that are targeting the 2016 Dubai World Cup, with the others including 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, 2014 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) runner-up Firing Line, Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Keen Ice, and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Frosted.
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