Masochistic targets Churchill Downs Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Masochistic, the three-time stakes winner who was second in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes in his first start of the year March 11, is bound for Kentucky.

Trainer Ron Ellis said on Friday that Masochistic will start in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on May 6 on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby. Masochistic was the 1-2 favorite in the $400,690 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita. He led to the final furlong before losing by a length to 16-1 Denman’s Call.

“He got a little tired and hadn’t run in four months,” Ellis said. “He ran his B-plus or A-minus race, not his A-plus race.”

The Triple Bend was Masochistic’s first start since a second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last November. Masochistic was later disqualified from the purse money because of a positive test for a banned steroid.

Masochistic has won 8 of 15 starts and earned $852,550. A 7-year-old gelding, Masochistic races for Samantha Siegel and Will Shamlian. The $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes is run at seven furlongs and typically draws a strong field from throughout the nation. Masochistic has run once at Churchill Downs, winning a maiden race on Kentucky Derby Day in 2014.