Lord Nelson Gets His Grade I in Triple Bend

Lord Nelson | Benoit

Lord Nelson, making his second start in the purple and orange colors of B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm, collared pacesetting Subtle Indian in deep stretch to take the GI Triple Bend S. by a half-length Saturday at Santa Anita. The 2-1 second choice shadowed Subtle Indian through fractions of :22.58 and :45.52 and briefly idled as the pacesetter scampered clear in upper stretch, but found his best stride in the final sixteenth to grab the lead in the shadow of the wire.

“I was really happy with my trip,” said winning jockey Rafael Bejarano. “I knew Subtle Indian was the only speed in the race, so I wanted to make sure I broke good and got my horse into the race right away. I found my position and then just waited for Kobe's Back. When I saw him coming at the three-eighths, I just went for it and tried to get the jump on him because he was really running.”

Bob Baffert, who retained training duties after the change in ownership, added, “That was pretty game. I didn't think he was going to get there. He was trying so hard there at the end. It was pretty exciting to watch, more exciting to win. He's come back so strong this year; that break really helped him. I think this is his distance, sprinting might be too short for him.”

Favored Kobe's Back, last early, made eye-catching progress five wide on the turn, but flattened out to finish third.

“I was on the extreme outside,” said Gary Stevens of his trip aboard the beaten favorite. “I was wide around the turn and the pace was extremely slow for these kinds of horses. The track has been favoring speed all day long and my move was a bit premature and a bit wide.”

Lord Nelson opened his sophomore campaign last year with a win over Texas Red (Afleet Alex) at this same track and trip in the GII San Vicente S. in February for Peachtree Stables. He sandwiched a runner-up effort in the Apr. 4 GIII Bay Shore S. between fourth-place efforts in the Mar. 7 GII San Felipe S. and May 2 GIII Pat Day Mile and completed the year with a third-place finish behind champion Runhappy (Super Saver) in the Dec. 26 GI Malibu S. Lord Nelson made his first start for Spendthrift with a 3 1/2-length win in a June 3 optional claimer.

Explaining the decision to purchase Lord Nelson, Hughes said, “He's a big, good-looking horse and we were looking for a stallion. He's exceptionally good looking. We'll keep him running, that's for sure.”

Lord Nelson is the first foal out of African Jade (Seeking the Gold), a daughter of U.S. Grade I winner and Argentinian champion Miss Linda (Arg) (Southern Halo).

Saturday, Santa Anita
TRIPLE BEND S.-GI, $301,035, SA, 6-25, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:21.04, ft.
1–&LORD NELSON, 120, c, 4, by Pulpit
1st Dam: African Jade, by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Miss Linda (Arg), by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: Miss Peggy (Arg), by Fitzcarraldo (Arg)
($340,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Rafael Bejarano. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: 11-5-1-1, $598,271. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–Subtle Indian, 120, g, 4, Indian Charlie–Subtle Aly, by French
Envoy. O/B-Mercedes Stables LLC (KY); T-Robertino Diodoro.
$60,000.[bullet ad=”hillndale-foaled-raised”]3–Kobe's Back, 122, h, 5, Flatter–Well, by Well Decorated.
($60,000 Ylg '12 FTKOCT; $480,000 2yo '13 OBSMAR). O-C R K
Stable; B-Joanne R. Mummert (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $36,000.[bullet ad=”niall-brennan-nbs-graduate”]Margins: HF, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.10, 2.90, 1.90.
Also Ran: Home Run Kitten, Clever Royal, Ambitious Brew, Cautious Giant, Coastline.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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