by Tom Musgrave

Trainer James Baker hopes a change in scenery will help Tom Walters's Elite Squadron bounce back to winning form when the four-year-old Officer colt takes on six challengers in the $300,000 Triple Bend Invitational Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Elite Squadron, who will carry co-high weight of 119 pounds in the seven-furlong Triple Bend, arrived in California from Kentucky on Monday and galloped one mile on Tuesday at Hollywood.

Rafael Bejarano is slated to ride Elite Squadron, finished second in the Commonwealth Stakes (G2) on April 12 on Keeneland Race Course's Polytrack all weather surface. His performance in that race, coupled with the Triple Bend distance, convinced Baker that Elite Squadron should be tried on Hollywood's Cushion Track synthetic surface.

"He ran well on the Polytrack at Keeneland and we're trying to keep him at seven furlongs if possible," Baker said.

Elite Squadron followed his Commonwealth Stakes runner-up finish with a win in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) on May 3. He enters off a third-place finish in the six-furlong Aristides Stakes (G3) on May 31 at Churchill.

The Triple Bend will be Elite Squadron's first start in Grade 1 company.

"We're trying to promote him for a stallion and a Grade 1 win would be great," Baker said.

Elite Squadron has won five of 13 starts and has earned $447,059.

Also carrying high weight in the Triple Bend will be Bluegate Corp.'s, Headley's, and Naify's Grade 3 winner Street Boss.

The Southern California campaigner has won three straight coming into the Triple Bend, most recently capturing the six-furlong Los Angeles Handicap (G3) on May 10 at Hollywood. His only other start at seven-furlongs was a sixth-place finish last October at Santa Anita Park.

Street Boss, trained by Bruce Headley, has won five of nine starts and has earned $221,800.

Tom Musgrave is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times