By Christie DeBernardis
Veteran sprinter Masochistic (Sought After) looks to get back on track Saturday in the GI Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita. Winner of the 2015 renewal of this test, the gelding romped by 6 1/4 lengths in his 2016 bow in Arcadia last July and followed suit with a victory in the GII Pat O'Brien S. Aug. 27. Favored in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 5, the 7-year-old crossed the line second behind champion Drefong (Gio Ponti), but was later disqualified from purse money after testing positive for small amounts of the legal steroid stanozolol (Click here for more information on the Breeders' Cup DQ).
CRK Stable's Kobe's Back (Flatter) returns from an 8 1/2-month layoff in this spot for trainer Peter Eurton. Victorious in the GII Palos Verdes S. and GII San Carlos S. last winter, the gray checked in third in the GII Churchill Downs S. on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard May 7 and was last seen finishing third in last year's renewal of this event, which had been run in late June since its move from the now defunct Hollywood Park in 2014.
The once-beaten Silent Bird (Summer Bird) takes a big step up in class in Saturday's test. The Mark Glatt pupil returned from a nine-month layoff with a win in Arcadia Oct. 2 and has captured three more races since, including the Damascus S. Nov. 4 and most recently took a one-mile optional claimer Jan. 6.
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