Triple Bend Stakes (Santa Anita) Predictions, Picks & Betting Odds

In a small, but wide-open affair, Eight Rings and Exaulted figure to vie for favoritism as they top a field of five older males set to contest Saturday’s Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita.

As a former Grade 1 winner, the Bob Baffert trained Eight Rings is the most accomplished horse in the field. The 4-year-old son of Empire Maker scored by open lengths in the Grade 1 American Pharoah, but that came nearly two years ago, and he only raced twice last year. He’ll be making his first start since fading out of the picture in the Grade 1 H Allen Jerkens at Saratoga last August but is working well for his return.

Exaulted has yet to breakthrough in stakes company yet, but the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy appears to be on the verge. After an impressive allowance score to begin the season, he rallied for third in the Grade 2 San Carlos on March 6. Lightly raced, the Peter Eurton trainee has never finished out of the money in five-lifetime starts.

Of the rest, both Lambeau and Shooters Shoot come into the 7 furlongs Triple Bend off allowance scores in April, while Magic On Tap finished fourth in the Grade 2 Californian in his most recent start.

How to Watch the Triple Bend Stakes

Race Analysis

Eight Rings

It’s really hard to know what exactly to expect from this former Grade 1 winner. If he comes back as good or better than ever, he could take it to this field from the break of the gates. Despite the strong series of workouts, the fact is that he has only made two starts since fading out of the picture in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile back in November of 2019, and in neither race last year did he fight on down the lane.

It’s also tough to win a graded stakes race going 7 furlongs the first time back. I look for him to be on the early lead, but I am looking for him to give it up in the stretch once again.

Exaulted

With speed enough to lay close, and a good closing kick, this Peter Eurton-trained runner looks perfectly suited for the tricky 7-furlong distance. The son of Twirling Candy is also getting better with experience, as well. After showing some promise in his only three starts last year, he has looked very good at the distance and over the track in both of his starts this year.

With further improvement expected and a couple of speed horses to track early, it’s hard to imagine him running a poor race on Saturday.  Unless one of the speed horses runs a huge race on the front end, I expect him to be tough to beat. He is my top pick.

Lambeau

This 5-year-old son of First Samurai has been a consistent front runner in all six of his lifetime starts on the dirt. This will mark his first try against a stakes company, but he signaled his readiness for the test with a solid score in his first race of 2021.

If either him or Eight Rings does not show their customary early speed, the other one becomes a big threat, but it looks more likely that they will lock horns early. I don’t love his chances in here, but he could set the table for Exaulted  by putting some early pressure on the favorite.

Magic on Tap

The second from the barn of Bob Baffert, he threw in a poor race last time when he tired badly going 9 furlongs in the Grade 2 Californian. That performance, in his second start in nearly two years, gives reason for concern.

Still, out of a very good sprinting mare, he may really appreciate the cut back in distance. He did win his return race two starts back and flashed some ability earlier in his career. He will not be my top pick, but if he does show an affinity for sprinting, he could win the whole thing.

Shooters Shoot

He looks to be the longest shot in this small field, but he is certainly not without hope. Briefly, on the Kentucky Derby trail in 2020, he won two straight races last spring before fading out of the picture in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in his stakes debut.

Off for seven months after that, it took him a while to get going this year, but he looked good winning his last at 15/1 odds in an allowance race going 7 furlongs at Santa Anita. Perhaps he has finally found his niche coming from off the pace in sprint races. Like all the others, he merits serious consideration here.