by Tim Nichols

While he may be the lone Grade 1 winner in the field, Siren Lure will face stiff competition on Sunday in his quest for a second Triple Bend Handicap (G1) win at Hollywood Park.

The eight-year-old Joyeux Danseur gelding, winner of the 2006 edition of the Triple Bend on Hollywood’s old dirt main track, seeks to become the first two-time winner of the race since Porterhouse in 1955-’56.

A nine-time stakes winner, Siren Lure opened his eight-year-old campaign with a one-length score in the Golden Gate Fields Sprint Stakes on March 21. Trained by Art Sherman, Siren Lure enters off a fourth-place finish in the Los Angeles Handicap (G3) on May 16 at Hollywood.

The seven-furlong Triple Bend on the synthetic Cushion Track surface at Hollywood drew a full field of 14 contenders. Among those slated to challenge Siren Lure on Sunday are multiple graded stakes winners Rebellion (GB), Noble Court, and Monterey Jazz.

Hickory Tree Stable’s Rebellion ships to the West Coast after posting a second-place finish in the Commonwealth Stakes (G2) on April 11 at Keeneland Race Course and a fifth-place finish in the Vigil Stakes (Can-G3) in his most recent start on May 18 at Woodbine for trainer Graham Motion.

The six-year-old Mozart (Ire) horse spent much of last season racing in California, winning the Ack Ack Handicap (G3) and finishing second in the Pat O’Brien Handicap (G2) and TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, all on synthetic surfaces. He also won the ’08 Commonwealth on Keeneland’s Polytrack surface.

Noble Court enters Sunday’s race off a half-length score in the Ack Ack on June 6 at Hollywood over Triple Bend entrants Rush With Thunder and Star Nicholas.

The 2007 San Vicente Stakes (G2) winner has won three of his previous four starts, including the Joe Hernandez Stakes in March on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park. Trained by John Sadler, the five-year-old Doneraile Court horse has a first-, second-, and third-place finish in three starts on Hollywood’s Cushion Track surface.

Monterey Jazz appears to be entering the Triple Bend Invitational in top form. The 2008 Strub (G2) and Texas Mile (G3) Stakes winner enters off a 3 3/4-length win in an allowance turf race at Hollywood on May 24, setting a new course record in the process after covering one mile in 1:32.59.

Tim Nichols is internet content editor for THOROUGHBRED TIMES