ARCADIA, Calif. – A hometown Grade 1 winner meets a Chilean Group 1 winner on Sunday at Santa Anita in a seven-furlong sprint stakes that will set up both horses for a summer campaign. Stronghold stands out in the Grade 3 Triple Bend as he seeks his first stakes victory since the 2024 Santa Anita Derby. Anything short of a decisive Triple Bend win by Stronghold would be disappointing coming on the heels of a dead-heat comeback allowance win at Oaklawn Park. “It sets him up really nice for this race on Sunday,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He loves this distance, he really likes Santa Anita, and he got a great post.” Stronghold, a three-time runner-up in graded stakes at seven furlongs, breaks from the outside post in the five-runner Triple Bend. The Goat won four of five in Chile, including three Group 1s, but he enters the Triple Bend with a built-in alibi. The Goat has not started since December 2024 in Chile. Notwithstanding solid works for new trainer John Sadler, the Triple Bend is a means to an end for The Goat. :: Play Santa Anita racing with confidence. Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more. “What I’m looking for is a good race first time out,” Sadler said. “He doesn’t have to win, but if he’s right in there one-two-three, I’m gonna be pretty happy.” Stronghold and The Goat are the principals in the Triple Bend, which also attracted multiple stakes-placed Bartholdy and entry-level allowance winners Simple Song and The Last Straw. Stronghold, owned and bred by Rick and Sharon Waller, figures to dunk at a short price. After a 2024 campaign that included wins in the Santa Anita Derby and Grade 3 Sunland Derby, a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, and a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita, Stronghold raced only twice in 2025 due to minor issues. He came around this spring, won his comeback last month at Oaklawn, and has trained forwardly since. Regular rider Antonio Fresu has been breezing Stronghold and rides him again Sunday from the advantageous outside post. Assuming he runs well in the Triple Bend, Stronghold will enter summer with many possibilities. “We’re gonna keep all options open, and hopefully end up in a Breeders’ Cup race, maybe the Dirt Mile,” D’Amato said. D’Amato said summer possibilities include the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 18 at Del Mar and Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic on Aug. 28. Both are route races. “We’re going to kind of take it one race at a time,” D’Amato said. “We’ve got a lot of options, but for now we’re pointing for the Triple Bend and he’s ready to go.” Sired by Ghostzapper and produced by Waller-owned and -bred Grade 2 winner Spectator, Stronghold has won four races and $1,279,200 from 13 starts. The Goat arrived in the U.S. from Chile in early 2025 and spent time in Kentucky prior to being sent to Sadler in California. The Goat commenced local workouts in February. “He trains like a good horse,” Sadler said, while acknowledging the layoff. “He’s been off a long time, [seven furlongs] is a good distance. Ideally, he’d go in the San Diego after this.” The Goat, whose 4-for-5 record includes wins at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 3/8 miles, will be ridden Sunday by Emisael Jaramillo. The Goat is owned by Don Alberto Stable, who bred him, and Paola Stable. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Bartholdy looms an upset while candidate returning to his preferred footing after a misfire on turf. Third in each of his four graded stakes starts, Bartholdy has won four races and nearly $250,000 since he was claimed for $50,000 in autumn 2024 by trainer Steve Knapp and partners. Tyler Baze rides Bartholdy. Simple Song is expected to contest the pace while making his first start since an entry-allowance sprint win March 7. The Last Straw won an entry-level allowance sprint on May 10. While the Triple Bend could lead to the 1 1/16-mile San Diego at Del Mar for both Stronghold and The Goat, Stronghold’s trainer has another representative for Del Mar’s top sprint stakes. D’Amato said stakes winner Maximum Bourbon will breeze this weekend at Santa Anita and target the six-furlong Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 25. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.