There was a time when Eight Rings had a golden shine.
That was two years ago, right after he won the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) when he was considered such a fashionable 2-year-old prospect that Coolmore secured his stallion rights and he was sent off as a 3-2 second choice in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
Much has happened since then, little of it sparkly good news.
After failing to fire and finishing sixth of eighth in the Juvenile, Eight Rings' 2020 campaign for trainer Bob Baffert consisted of two unplaced efforts. After a seventh in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) there was even speculation that the son of Empire Maker's stud career would begin sooner than expected.
But Coolmore and the ownership group that also includes Golconda Stables, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Fred Hertrich III, and John Fielding took a patient approach, giving Eight Rings some time off to recover from some minor ailments.
The fruits of that decision will be revealed May 29 when the 4-year-old Eight Rings returns from a 10-month layoff to face just four rivals—one of them a Baffert-trained stablemate—in the $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Judging by a string of fast and impressive works for Saturday's race, including a :58 five-furlong bullet gate drill May 7, the time off may have rejuvenated the $520,000 purchase from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
"He's a bigger and better model than when he left the track. We're excited about him," said Jack Wolf, founder and managing partner of Starlight Racing. "Bob says he's doing great. Look at his work tab; those works are fantastic."
A winner of two of six starts with $241,451 in earnings, Eight Rings' two previous starts at Saturday's seven-furlong distance were the Jerkens and the 2019 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) when he ducked in and lost his rider shortly after the break.
He holds a class edge as the lone graded stakes winner in the small field.
Baffert will also send out Summer Wind Equine's Magic On Tap , a homebred 5-year-old son of Tapit who was fourth in the Californian Stakes (G2), beaten by nearly 24 lengths. He was a March 28 allowance optional claiming winner at Santa Anita in his only other 2021 start.
Jerome Moss' Lambeau should attract interest at the betting windows as he leaps into stakes company for the first time. The 5-year-old son of First Samurai has won two of his last three starts, capped by an April 10 allowance optional claimer win at Santa Anita. Trained by John Shirreffs, he will be racing at a distance shorter than a mile for the first time
Trainer Peter Eurton will also send out two starters in Exaulted and Shooters Shoot .
C R K Stable's Exaulted, a 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy , has not raced since he was a wide third in the seven-furlong San Carlos Stakes (G2) in his first try against stakes rivals.
"This has always been the plan for him. He's always been the kind of horse who we could see running in races like the Triple Bend. He went a bit wide in the San Carlos and has been freshened. He's been training well," Eurton said about Exaulted, who will break from the rail. "He's won from the one hole (two starts back) so we're not worried about that. I just wonder where he'll be in the early part of the race."
Exline-Border Racing, ERJ Racing, and Dan Hudock's Shooters Shoot is coming off a surprising 15-1 victory in an April 24 allowance optional claimer that was his first win in more than a year. The gelded son of Competitive Edge was no better than fifth in his four starts prior to that.
"I think gelding him made a difference. The last few starts before the last one were disappointing and we weren't going anywhere with him," Eurton said. "Now after gelding him, we hope he'll continue to move forward."
Entries: Triple Bend S. (G2)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, May 29, 2021, Race 8
- Grade II
- 7f
- Dirt
- $200,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 4:52 PM (local)
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