Masochistic impresses in Triple Bend

Masochistic romped home in the Triple Bend (Benoit Photos) Jay Em Ess Stable & Los Pollos Hermanos Racing’s Masochistic (Sought After) continued his ascension in the sprint ranks by dominating Saturday’s $300,500 Triple Bend (G1) at Santa Anita, rolling to a sharp 3 1/2-length tally. Jockey Tyler Baze always appeared to have plenty left in the tank as the gelding scored comfortably, completing seven furlongs in a sizzling 1:20 1/5 while making his second start for trainer Ron Ellis. The lightly-raced five-year-old is now two for two in graded stakes, improving upon his narrow victory in the April 11 Kona Gold (G2) last out, and Masochistic increased his earning to $523,850 from an 8-6-1-0 record. The bay California-bred broke on top but Baze was in no hurry through an opening quarter-mile in :22 4/5, with San Onofre (Surf Cat) flashing forward along the inside to contest the pace down the backstretch. After a half-mile in :45, Masochistic began to edge away his rival nearing the conclusion of the far turn. He entered the stretch drive full of run, opening a commanding advantage with more than a furlong left to run, and cruised to the wire much the best as the even-money favorite among seven rivals.

Appealing Tale (Tale of the Cat) closed well to be a clear second, 2 3/4
lengths better than the late-running Wild Dude (Wildcat Heir). San Onofre,
Sahara Sky (Pleasant Tap), Blue Tone (Birdstone) and Holy Lute (Midnight Lute)
came next under the wire.

Masochistic didn’t make his career debut until age four, finishing fifth, and
broke his maiden the second time out by 14 lengths at Churchill Downs on
Kentucky Derby Day last year. He followed with a pair of convincing victories
over allowance/optional claiming foes before wrapping up the season with a
second in his stakes debut, the Los Alamitos Mile in early September.

Jay Em Ess Stable acquired an interest after Masochistic opened 2015 with an
easy win over allowance/optional claiming at Santa Anita on February 28 and the
gelding was transferred to Ellis.

Bred by Francois Dupuis and Louise Julian, Masochistic is by the unraced and
well-bred sire Sought After (Seeking the Gold). The only stakes winner in the
first three generations of his female family, he’s out of the unraced Unusual
Heat mare Trotinette and counts multiple stakes heroine and Grade 2-placed
Truffles (Don B.) as his fourth maternal dam.

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