The Goat, Stronghold Lead Short Triple Bend Field

Haras Don Alberto certainly went out on a limb by naming a homebred Midshipman   son The Goat , assuming it was referencing the sport acronym for "greatest of all time." Talk about pressure.

The Goat is not the best horse produced by the farm, but he is deservedly among the best, having won three consecutive group 1 races in Chile during the 2024-25 Southern Hemisphere season and eventually honored as the country's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male.

Having been shelved last year, The Goat is back to test his skills in North America. The 5-year-old horse makes his return in the May 31 Triple Bend Stakes (G3), a $100,000 7-furlong sprint on the dirt at Santa Anita Park. He has been working steadily since late February with trainer John Sadler and notched a couple of bullet works at 5 furlongs April 27 and 4 furlongs May 4.

"He's had some really nice works and you can see the pattern is pretty steady," Sadler said. "We're anxious to get him going. We're not sure what his best distance will be here, obviously he has some versatility winning at 6 1/2 furlongs to a mile and three eighths. But this should be a good jumping-off point for him."

The Goat, raced by Don Alberto Stable with Paola Stable, will be ridden in the Triple Bend by Emisael Jaramillo as the co-highweight carrying 126 pounds.

Stronghold , winner of the 2024 Santa Anita Derby (G1), looks to be The Goat's greatest competition in the Triple Bend. Eric and Sharon Waller's homebred son of Ghostzapper  is making his second start off an eight-month layoff. He made his 2026 debut a winning won, albeit a dead heat in an allowance optional claiming race going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park. 

Prior to being given time off in August 2025, Stronghold ran a close second to Dr. Venkman  in the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2), also run at 7 furlongs. In 2024, he followed his Santa Anita Derby victory with runner-up efforts in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), to Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey  , and in the 7-furlong Malibu Stakes (G1) to Raging Torrent  , who went on to win the 2025 Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

Stronghold has produced three near-bullet works since May 11 when he went 5 furlongs in :59 2/5 followed by a 6-furlong work May 18 in 1:11 4/5 and a 5-furlong work May 25 in :59 4/5. He is trained by Phil D'Amato and will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, who was the 5-year-old horse's regular rider through 2024-25.

The only other contender in the five-horse field with stakes credentials is Bartholdy , a 4-year-old gelded son of Mendelssohn , who ran distant thirds in this year's San Pasqual Stakes (G2) and San Carlos Stakes (G3). He is co-owned by John Haagsma, Robert Vanderdussen, and trainer Steve Knapp.