Hopkins

Hopkins, a $900,000 purchase as a yearling, finished a close second in his career debut at Santa Anita Park in December 2021 but did not make another appearance on the track until September of the following year. He checked in second once again for trainer Bob Baffert but then graduated with a 3 ¼-length win in a seven-furlong race at Santa Anita on Oct. 23.

The son of Quality Road followed that up with an allowance win at Del Mar but faded badly in his subsequent stakes debut when stretched out to two turns, finishing last of six in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26. Baffert wheeled the now 5-year-old horse back in three weeks and Hopkins contested the pace before settling for a near-miss second in a six-furlong allowance race.

Hopkins then made another stakes start, this time at his preferred sprint distance. In the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes Feb. 5 at Santa Anita, he pressed pacesetter Straight No Chaser and kicked clear in the stretch to post a breakthrough 2 ¼-length win, finishing six furlongs in a swift 1:08.80.

Kentucky-bred Hopkins is of the stakes-placed Salt Lake mare Hot Spell. He is a half-brother (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to stakes winner Saratoga Heater, graded stakes-placed Of a Revolution, and stakes-placed Malocchio.