Hills Likes Triple E in Wolf Hill

Trainer Tim Hills will saddle Triple E in Sunday’s $65,000 Wolf Hill Stakes at Monmouth Park and the conditioner of the 6-year-old gelding is looking for a big effort from his charge.

“He had some foot issues earlier this year,” Hills said.  “That’s all behind him now and he needed that last race.  I’m looking for a big improvement on Sunday.”

Triple E was beaten less than a length in a $50k claimer at Gulfstream on March 6 this year before developing some foot problems.  He returned with a seventh-place effort in the John McSorley Stakes as the 5-2 choice on June 12, a race won by General Perfect, recently fifth in the Grade 1 United Nations.

“He was wide into the stretch last out,” Hills said.  “I know he needed that race and that should set him up perfectly for this.  He’s a tough J-bred.”

A son of Storm Boot, Triple E sports a record of 6-4-1 from 27 lifetime starts.  He is one-for-two over the Monmouth turf and three-for-eight lifetime over the grass.

The main competition for Triple E in the 5 ½-furlong turf stakes will likely come from Varsity, who breaks from the rail, and Perfect Officer, who drew the eight post in the field of nine colts and geldings.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Varsity exits an entry-level allowance win at Gulfstream on April 21 and sports solid works at Belmont, including a four-furlong bullet on June 27 in :47 1/5. 

Perfect Officer, who goes for the Michael Pino barn, just missed last out at Parx and before that won the Dream Big Stakes at Atlantic City and a $50,000 claimer at Gulfstream on March 6, besting Triple E.