2017 Triple Bend Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Triple Bend Stakes goes down this Saturday, March 11 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Horses four years old and upward will take to Santa Anita's dirt track and race seven furlongs for the winner's share of the $400,000 purse.

A competitive field of seven sprinters will take to the track in the Triple Bend Stakes - race 8 on Santa Anita's stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all seven combatants for this G1 stakes.

2017 Triple Bend Stakes Entries at Santa Anita Park

Masochistic - one of the best sprinters in 2015 won this very race that year by 3 1/2 lengths. Speedy Ron Ellis trained gelding has placed in 10 of 14 career starts - eight wins and two second place finishes. He was last seen running a disappointing seventh after hitting the line second and being DQ'd thanks to steroid use in the Breeders' Cup Sprint November 5 after a nice win in the G2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar August 27, a gate-to-wire Allowance Optional Claiming score by 6 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita July 8 and eight months away from the track. Before the layoff was an uncharacteristic last of fourteen in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint (after sustaining an injury in the race), a second in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar last July 26 and a terrific three race win streak in 2015- the G1 Triple Bend Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths with an impressive 110 Beyer Speed Figure June 27, in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure April 11 and a 2 1/4 length Allowance Optional Claiming score February 28. Has placed in six of nine starts ahead of this weekend (five wins), has posted two bullet six furlong moves early in February in preparation for the Triple Bend and hopes to bounce back from a less-than-spectacular effort last time out. Mike Smith has been tabbed to ride from post 5.

Kobe's Back - defending third place finisher in this race - Peter Eurton trainee makes his return to the track for the first time since June 25 when he finished third in the G3 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita. Before that result was another third in the G3 Churchill Downs Stakes May 7 and consecutive wins - the G2 San Carlos Stakes March 12 with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure and in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes on this track in February. He also posted a seventh in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint, a decent second in the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship October 3 that year, had an OK third in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes in July, 2015 and a good win in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 4, 2015. Kobe's Back now has five wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 20 career starts, and has placed in his last four starts overall. He hits the track for the first time in eight months Saturday with some quality works under his belt with Javier Castellano in the saddle from post 3.

Bet Santa Anita Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Silent Bird - impressive Mark Glatt trainee has six career starts with five wins and a second place finish. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday on a five race win streak - and Allowance Optional Claiming here January 6, another Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar December 1, the minor Damascus Stakes at his distance on this track in November and another pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track. Silent Bird hasn't been touched in 14 months and hopes to carry some momentum into his major step up in competition. Flavien Prat gets the call from gate 4.

Denman's Call - has placed in five of seven career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - one win, one second and three third place finishes - all at Santa Anita. He enters on the heels of consecutive thirds in Allowance Optional Claiming races - the last coming February 18. Before that was a fifth in the G3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes, a sixth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby last April, a second in the minor San Pedro Stakes March 20 and a third in the G2 San Vicente Stakes in February, 2016. Denman's Call has been OK so far in his career and chases his first stakes win from the rail Saturday. Tyler Baze rides.

Point Piper - Jerry Hollendorfer trainee has five wins, seven seconds and four third place finishes in 29 career starts. He enters off a fourth in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes on this track January 7 which followed consecutive runner-up finishes - the minor Winter Challenge Stakes at Los Alamitos December 17 and the G3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar November 27. Before that was a sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a fourth in the G2 Kelso Handicap October 18 and a win in the G3 Longacres Mile in August. He also posted another fourth in the G2 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita May 22, an OK third in the G2 Oaklawn Handicap April 16, a fifth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby in March and another third in the G3 Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds February 2. Point Piper has been so-so lately and will be after a first ever graded stakes score Saturday. Mario Gutierrez has the mount from gate 2.

Nowalking - has 11 career starts for trainer Phil D'Amato with three wins, two seconds and four third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a Claiming score on this track February 16, 21 months away, a third in the minor Mountainview Handicap at Penn National and a pair of wins to start his 2015 campaign. Nowalking has won three of his last four starts spanning two years and hopes to make some noise in his major step up in competition. Edwin Maldonado has the mount from gate 6 Saturday.

Conquest Cobra - Vladimir Cerin trained gelding has 18 career starts with four wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here February 20, consecutive fourths in similar races and a second in the minor Big Bear Stakes here November 3. Before that was a fourth in the minor Harry F. Brubaker Stakes in August and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores in July. Conquest Cobra has been just OK so far and steps up in so-so form. Rafael Bejarano is scheduled to ride from the outside post 7.

2017 Triple Bend Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:30 PM.