Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park
Las Vegas, NV - Betfair Hollywood Park will be the scene of the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap this Saturday, June 30th. $250,000 is on the line for horses three years old willing to go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park's main track.
The Triple Bend has attracted a strong field of nine for race 6 on Hollywood Park's Saturday card. Post time is 3:38 PM. Here is a look at the nine entries and what brought them to one of the two Grade 1 races at Hollywood on Saturday.
2012 Triple Bend Handicap Race Favorites
Smiling Tiger - the defending champion in this race, Smiling Tiger is no stranger to graded stakes action and has placed in 13 of 16 ones that he has entered. Included are three Grade 1 wins - the last being at the Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park last July. Since then, Smiling Tiger has dropped off a tad - a good second in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes was followed by a fourth in the Grade 1 Pat O'Brien Stakes both at Del Mar to close out 2011. In her only action in 2012 Smiling Tiger was fifth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard and third most recently at the Grade 2 True North Handicap at Belmont on June 9th. Despite some OK recent results, Smiling Tiger is still one of the favorites in this year's Triple Bend.
The Factor - Bob Baffert trained The Factor is a five-time graded stakes winner that had an characteristically poor race last time out - a sixth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Before that was an impressive win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26th and in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes on February 25th. He did have an eighth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in November but has looked great, minus the one start overseas, in the last six months. The Factor is undefeated in four races over this distance.
Triple Bend Handicap 2012 | Remaining Field Entries
Comma to the Top - has won two of his last three starts - both Allowance races including last time out at Golden Gate. His last three graded stakes races resulted in a 6th in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort in December, a ninth in the Grade 3 Vernon O. Underwood in November and a 19th in last year's Kentucky Derby. Comma to the Top was Horse of the Meet here in autumn 2010 - needless to say, he loves this track
Tres Borrachos - hasn't had a win since the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap last July. Recently he followed up a pair of OK seconds in the Grade 2 Native Diver and the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes with a fourth in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap. He was a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic Stakes last time out in April.
Triple Bend Handicap betting at Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Camp Victory - had a very productive 2011 - three wins and three seconds in nine starts - most results coming in graded stakes action. In 2012 Camp Victory has a pair of thirds - the Grade 2 Portero Grande Stakes at Santa Anita in April and the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap most recently on this track on May 28th. Camp Victory is a solid sleeper in the Triple Bend.
Centralinteligence - most recently finished an inspiring second in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap on this track in May to follow up an Allowance score at Santa Anita. He has eight career starts with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish.
Mobilized - placed fifth in the Grade 2 American Handicap here last time out to follow up a win on this track in the Tiznow Stakes on April 28th and an Allowance score at Santa Anita on March 30th.
Don Tito - is no stranger to stakes action. In fact he has finished fifth in four consecutive stakes races - last out in the Cool Frenchy Stakes and before that the Grade 1 Pat O'Brien, the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap and the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes. In 16 career starts Don Toto has four wins, one second and four third place finishes.
Italian Rules - has raced four times in 2012 with three wins in Allowance Optional Claiming races and a second in the Tiznow Stakes on this track on April 28th.
