Declassify takes down Triple Bend in career stakes debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – Anyone watching Declassify race along the rail in the early stretch of Saturday’s $300,250 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita had a right to doubt his chances when Cyclometer took the lead.

They were not alone with that outlook.

“I thought so, too,” jockey Martin Garcia said.

But Declassify was always within a half-length of Cyclometer, and Garcia kept his mount in contention. In the final 50 yards, Declassify rallied on the inside to retake the lead and beat Cyclometer by a nose. Declassify ($6.60) ran seven furlongs in 1:22.03 to win his stakes debut.

“He was trying every single step of the way,” Garcia said. “He never gave up.”

Declassify was the second choice in the wagering and was never threatened by the even-money favorite Sahara Sky, who was fifth on the backstretch and finished last in the field of six.

Indexical, a 30-1 outsider, finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Declassify. Drill finished fourth, followed by Wine Police in fifth.

Declassify is trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Kaleem Shah. A 4-year-old colt by Orientate, Declassify has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $261,240. The Triple Bend was the stakes debut for Declassify, who won his first two starts by a combined 19 lengths in April and June 2013.

Declassify did not start again until October, finishing fourth in an optional claimer in his final start of 2013. Declassify was a game second in an optional May 16 in his 2014 debut, finishing close to Seeking the Sherif, who returned to win.

The win in the Grade 1 Triple Bend is expected to lead to starts in major sprint stakes in the second half of the summer for Declassify.