American Anthem (Bodemeister) makes his 2019 stakes bow in Saturday's GII Triple Bend S. The Bob Baffert trainee scored two of his last three stakes victories at Santa Anita, including a narrow win in last summer's GII San Carlos S. in which he earned a sparkling 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Following that huge effort, the WinStar Farm and China Horse Club colorbearer checked in sixth in the GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar July 28 before being benched for the next 10 months. He made his return to the races with an encouraging second-place finish in a one mile optional claimer on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard.
An intriguing prospect contesting his first stakes attempt is Doubledown Stable's The Hardest Way (Uncle Mo). The 5-year-old scorched six furlongs in 1:09.63 for trainer Ron Ellis in an optional claimer at Keeneland Apr. 6, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 103. In that race, the bay was making his first start in 13 months after being privately purchased from Five Hellions Farm and William Peel III.
Cistron (The Factor) enters off an emphatic score in Santa Anita's GII Kona Gold S. Apr. 20. The John Sadler-trained bay had made 13 straight starts on the turf prior to that 5 1/4-length victory.
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