Hollywood Park: Camp Victory gets green light for Triple Bend

Trainer Mike Mitchell will start the former claimer Camp Victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park.

The Grade 1 Triple Bend, run over seven furlongs, will be Camp Victory’s first start in a race at that level since a second to The Factor in the Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar last summer. Camp Victory, 5, was second in the 2011 Triple Bend to Smiling Tiger.

Both The Factor and Smiling Tiger are part of the expected field for the Triple Bend.

A 5-year-old gelding, Camp Victory was third behind Roman Threat in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap over six furlongs on May 28.

“The Triple Bend has always been in my sights,” Mitchell said.

Roman Threat is being pointed for the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 29.

Other candidates for the Triple Bend include Comma to the Top, Mobilized, and Tres Borrachos.

Rail Trip, the winner of the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup, was nominated for the Triple Bend, but has been entered in an allowance race over 1 1/16 miles on Thursday.

Koko Loca points to American Oaks

Koko Loca, eighth in the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs last month in her U.S. debut, is a probable starter for the $400,000 American Oaks over 1 1/4 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies on July 14, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“She’s training like a beast,” O’Neill said. “She wants a mile and a half.”

Owned by a partnership, Koko Loca, an Irish-bred filly by Kodiac, had 1 win in 3 starts in England. In the Edgewood over 1 1/16 miles on turf, Koko Loca was last of 12 after six furlongs and finished sixth, 8 1/4 lengths behind even-money favorite Stephanie’s Kitten.

“She was wide the whole way,” O’Neill said.