A determined Air Strike needed every inch of the Santa Anita stretch, but he was finally able to nail Cistron at the wire to win the G2 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita 25 May.
The victory marked the first Graded Stakes score for the four-year-old son of Street Sense, who is trained by Philip D’Amato.
Racing near the rear of the field through the early stages of the seven-furlong contest, Air Strike was content to let Cistron lead the way through swift opening fractions of 22.10 and 44.53. As the field swept through the far turn, Air Strike began closing in steadily on the leader while racing wide.
Air Strike continued to steadily advance on the longtime leader through the stretch, prevailing in the final strides to win by a head.
Air Strike was bred in Kentucky by Gary & Mary West Stables Inc., and is out of the mare Omnitap, by Tapit. Omnitap is out of the Multiple Stakes winning mare, Classic Olympio, and is a half-sister to Stakes winners Classify (by Unbridled’s Song) and Simplify (by Pulpit).
In addition to Air Strike, Street Sense is also represented by 2019 Graded Stakes winners Dixie Blossoms (G1 Coolmore Classic in Australia), McKinzie (G2 Alysheba Stakes), Champagne Anyone (G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks), Aztec Sense (G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes) and Doctor Mounty (G3 Tropical Turf). Only the stallion Tapit has more Graded Stakes winners this year.
Street Sense is standing the 2019 breeding season at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for $50,000, stands and nurses.
