Triple Bend Handicap 2013 at Hollywood Park
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap goes down this Saturday, June 29 from Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. A purse of $250,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park's main track.
A terrific field of nine older horses will line up in the Triple Bend - race 9 on Hollywood Park's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:00 PM. Here is a look into the credentials of all nine entries for the second of two Grade 1 stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday. A win here will automatically result into an entry into the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile November 2.
2013 Triple Bend Handicap Race Favorites
Camp Victory - had an impressive win over rival The Factor in last year's Triple Bend Handicap but has struggled a tad since - a third in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien August 26 and a sixth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship October 6. He raced to a disappointing eleventh in the Breeders' Cup Turf in November and has just two starts since - a fifth in the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes April 6 at Santa Anita and an OK third last time out in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap here in May. Camp Victory won this race last year and was second in 2011 - needless to say he loves this stage!
Comma to the Top - Grade 1 winner and Peter Miller trained gelding has won six of his last 11 starts. He won an Allowance at Golden Gate on June 9, the minor Pirate's Bounty Stakes at Del Mar September 5, the Big Bear Handicap at Santa Anita October 21 in wire-to-wire fashion, the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita December 29 again in gate-to-wire style, the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct March 2, the minor Cool Frenchy Stakes May 4 and the Grade 3 Lost Angeles Handicap last time out here May 27. Over that span he also has four fourths. It seems to be either wins or fourth place finishes for Comma To The Top but three wins in his last four races has it looking like a win is more likely than a fourth!
Triple Bend Handicap 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Jimmy Creed - made his graded stakes debut with a respectable third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint October 6 ahead of Amazombie after two wins and two seconds in four career previous starts including a second in the minor El Cajon Stakes behind Fed Biz August 31. He followed that with a disappointing ninth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint but has been terrific since with two straight wins - the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes December 26 and the Grade 2 Potrero Grande April 6. He looks for his first win at Hollywood Park and has four overall victories in eight career starts.
Rail Trip - owns wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Grade 2 Californian - but that was back in 2009 and 2010. It took until the 2012 Grade 2 San Diego Handicap last July 28 for Rail Trip to win again. Last summer he had a pair of fourths - in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and the Grade 1 Awesome Again September 29 before finishing a very nice second behind Tapizar in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. That was the last time we saw Rail Trip who makes his long-awaited 2013 debut Saturday for trainer Ron Ellis having finished first or second in nine of 10 starts on this track.
Centralinteligence - finished an inspiring second in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap on this track last May to follow up an Allowance score at Santa Anita for trainer Ron Ellis. He has three starts since - a sixth in last year's Triple Bend led to a nearly 11 month layoff and a fourth in his comeback in the minor Cool Frenchy Stakes here May 4. Last time out was his second consecutive second place finish in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap. He hasn't tasted victory since last March and has been inconsistent leading up to the Triple Bend.
Triple Bend Handicap betting at Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Morning Line - will race for the first time in over a year Saturday but looked terrific in a wire-to-wire win in his first start of 2012 in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy Handicap. He followed that with a fourth in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes before being forced to the sidelines. It was just over two years ago that she won the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct and was second in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap.
Drill - Bob Baffert trainee has four wins in 16 career starts but those wins are spaced out - no real consistently good results have come from this colt. He won the 2011 Del Mar Futurity and then took six more months before winning the Grade 2 San Vicente in February 2012 and then the Lazaro Barrera in May. He hasn't placed in his last five starts however - four fourth place finishes including the last three starts in a row and one sixth place finish in there. He returns to a preferred dirt surface hoping to get back on track in the Triple Bend.
Tres Borrachos - placed in four of five outings before an ugly eighth last time out in the Grade 3 All American Stakes at Golden Gate May 27. Included in his recent results are a third in the minor Santana Mile Stake March 21 behind Liaison and Midnight Transfer, an Allowance score (he recorded a Beyer Speed Figure of over 100 in both of those starts), a second in an Allowance December 1 to Jaycito and a second in the minor Big Bear Handicap October 21. He has failed to place in his last five graded stakes however - results include a fourth January 5 in the Grade 2 San Pasqual. Tres Borrachos has raced 35 stakes races all over the map with OK results and will be looking to rebound from a disastrous outing last time out on his favorite track.
Cyclometer - races in stakes company for the first time Saturday after 11 career starts produces three wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was an OK second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track May 27 after a sixth in a similar race to start his year January 12.
