Although she was coming off an eight-month layoff, Claiborne Farm’s homebred Bendable would not be denied in the G3 Desert Stormer Stakes. Ridden by Mike Smith, she pulled away to win by a 1 ½ lengths at Santa Anita.
“She’s matured a whole lot,” said Smith. “She was aggressive leaving the gate but turned right off. She waited for me to call on her, and when I did, man, she really jumped into the bridle.”
Richard Mandella trains the 4-year-old Horse Greeley filly, who was making her first start since finishing third in the G2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland last October. Prior to that, Bendable won the Beverly J. Lewis Stakes last September and had also been named a TDN Rising Star when she broke her maiden at first asking last June.
“Mr. Mandella had her ready,” said Smith. “He’s done a tremendous job getting her back off the layoff. I’ve come out to work her a couple times, and her works were just better and better. I knew from her last work that she’d run big.”
Full of Claiborne pedigree on both the top and bottom, Bendable is out of the stakes-placed Arch mare Bend, making her a full sister to millionaire Clearly Now. Horse Greeley formerly stood at Claiborne.
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