How to bet the Triple Bend Stakes

A strong cast of five dashers will travel seven panels on the Santa Anita dirt in Saturday’s $100,000 Triple Bend S. (G3). The once-beaten #2 Nysos (3-5) finished a fantastic second in the high-quality Churchill Downs S. (G1) off a 15-month layoff last time out for conditioner Bob Baffert, and the son of Nyquist will be a formidable foe with even minor improvement in his second run of the season. 

Triple Bend Wagers

• $15 trifecta key 2 with 3,5 ($30)
• $3 trifecta 3,5 with 2 with 3,5 ($6)

The four-year-old breezed through his first trio of lifetime runs by a combined 25 3/4 lengths prior to going on the shelf following his daylight tally in the 2024 Robert B. Lewis S. (G3), and despite breaking slowly from a very wide post, the ultra-talented colt still managed to fall just a neck shy beneath the Twin Spires on the Kentucky Derby undercard. 

Nysos has fired a pair of bullet morning drills in succession in advance of Saturday, and the $550,000 purchase seems poised to add a third graded stakes win to his resume. The Kentucky-bred will have Juan Hernandez in the stirrups. 

#3 Spirit of Makena (12-1) won this race in 2023 and will also be making his second run off of a very lengthy absence in the heat. Trained by George Papaprodromou, the Ghostzapper chestnut has room for improvement with just nine lifetime runs to his credit, and the seven-year-old had a nice prep for this when in the hunt late before checking in third in the recent San Carlos S. (G3) on the surface. I envision a trip where the top-three threat forces the pace from second early with a chance at the top of the lane beneath Kyle Frey. 

Grade 2 star #5 Dr. Venkman (2-1) was a smart runner-up in the race last season and will make his first appearance since running an even fourth in the Pacific Classic S. (G1) at Del Mar in the summer. The Mark Glatt trainee is well drawn on the outside and has never run a bad race in his lifetime, but he will possibly need a run off the pine before being at his top level. With that said, the son of Ghostzapper wouldn’t be a major surprise with Antonio Fresu in the stirrups. 

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. (G1) to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!