By US Racing Team
The $100,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G3) is set for Sunday night at Santa Anita and features a field of five sprinting 7 furlongs, topped by Grade 1 winners Stronghold and Chile-bred The Goat
The Triple Bend is race 8 with a post time of 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Triple Bend, originally named the Lakes and Flowers Handicap at Hollywood Park and renamed in 1979 after Triple Bend (who set a world record for 7 furlongs in 1972), has a strong sprint history. It was a Grade I for many years before being downgraded in 2018.
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert has dominated this race with a record eight winners, including Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Nysos a year ago. Other standouts include Porterhouse (twice) and Ack Ack. It often serves as a key prep on the West Coast for the Breeders’ Cup.
This year’s field is compact but still drew Stronghold, the 2024 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner, The Goat, the 2024-25 Chilean Horse of the Year, a three-time Group 1 winner making his U.S. debut, and some solid local allowance-level performers.
Stronghold, the even-money favorite, is a 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper and is the class of this field. He’s placed in other graded stakes, including a close second in the 2024 Malibu Stakes (G1) and Pat O’Brien (G2), both at 7 furlongs. After an eight-month layoff, he returned with a dead-heat allowance win at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park and is back home for his return to graded company. The Phil D’Amato trainee is a versatile stalker/closer with good tactical speed who should sit a good trip behind the pace and pounce in the lane. Antonio Fresu will ride.
The Goat is the 9-5 second choice coming off a nearly 18-month layoff and makes his U.S. debut for trainer John Sadler. He’s won four of five races in South America and has a series of sharp workouts in preparing for the Triple Bend.
Versatile – he’s won from sprints to routes -- he could be a dangerous front-runner or presser. His class and adaptability make him a big threat if he translates his form stateside under jockey Emisael Jaramillo.
The Last Straw (12-1), a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt out of multiple G1 winner Bast, makes his stakes debut. He just won a 6-furlong allowance at Santa Anita on May 10, gamely prevailing after pressing a hot pace. Hall of Famer Mike Smith, aboard from the rail, adds appeal, as he’s a forwardly placed type with tactical speed. The step up in class is the question, but his pedigree and recent sharpness suggest he could be live at a square price for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Bartholdy (9-2) has some graded stakes experience but has been well-beaten lately, finishing a distant third in the San Pasqual (G2) and San Carlos Stakes (G3) this year. He’s a consistent performer but lacks the top-end talent of the top here and may need a career-best effort. Likely a mid-pack or closer who will hope for a fast pace to close into. Steve Knapp trains the gelded son of Mendelssohn, and Tyler Baze will be aboard.
Simple Song (5-1) is the least accomplished on paper in this group, coming out of allowance/optional claiming company and making his stakes debut. The Mark Glatt-trained Munnings gelding needs to take a big step forward to factor against these graded foes.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
