Triple Bend a viable option for Lord Nelson

Lord Nelson, smashing winner of an overnight race in his first start in five months on June 3, has “a strong possibility” of starting in next Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Triple Bend Stakes for three-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, Bob Baffert said Saturday morning.

A four-year-old son of the A.P. Indy stallion Pulpit owned by the Spendthrift Farm of B. Wayne Hughes, Lord Nelson won the Grade II San Vicente Stakes as a three-year-old and had been firing bullets in his breezes before his three-and-a-half length victory under Rafael Bejarano on June 3.

With multiple Grade I winner Wild Dude recently sold and out of the Triple Bend, according to Jerry Hollendorfer, formerly part owner and trainer of the six-year-old horse, Bejarano now will retain the mount on Lord Nelson, whom he has ridden in five of his 10 starts, two of them victories.

Bejarano had been scheduled to ride Wild Dude in the Triple Bend. The six-year-old Florida-bred sired by Wildcat Heir has earned $1,095,232 with an 8-5-4 record from 22 starts.

Taris, who had been expected to take on males in the Triple Bend, will miss the race due to a foot issue and be pointed to the Grade I, seven furlong Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 27 , trainer Simon Callaghan said by phone from England Saturday morning.

“She has a bit of a sore foot and we missed the last work with her,” Callaghan said. “She’s sound, but we didn’t want to take the risk and run her.”

Taris, a five-year-old Flatter mare, last worked on June 4. She won the Grade I Humana Distaff on May 7 at Churchill Downs by nearly six lengths in her most recent start.

Source: Santa Anita Park