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It was all about the number three for Lebherz Racing and Alan Klein's Smiling Tiger in Saturday's $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap (Grade 1) at Hollywood Park. Sporting saddlecloth number three, the four-year-old took command from the start and kept on chugging throughout the seven-furlong journey. He crossed the finish just over three lengths ahead of Camp Victory, and in the process ran his record over the Hollywood Park main track to three-for-three while registering his third top-level success.

Under Joel Rosario, Smiling Tiger ripped through fractions of :22 1/5 and :44 4/5 and extended his lead when asked in the lane. The official winning margin was 3 1/4 lengths, with a final time on Cushion Track clocked in 1:21 1/5. The 8-5 second choice in a field of eight, Smiling Tiger paid $5.40, $4 and $2.80.

"He's a really good horse," Rosario said. "The good thing with him is that when he sees a horse close to him, he just wants to beat him."

Camp Victory rallied from fourth to land the place honors by 2 1/4 lengths over Amazombie, the 3-2 choice who also had to close from mid-pack. Uh Oh Bango was a neck farther back in fourth. The order of finish was completed by Color of Courage, Bench Points, M One Rifle and El Martillo.

Smiling Tiger won the Lost in the Fog Stakes and placed in the Best Pal S. (Grade 2) and Del Mar Futurity (Grade 1) at two. Last season, he scored in the Bing Crosby (Grade 1) and Ancient Title Stakes (Grade 1) over older foes and in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (Grade 3) against fellow three-year-olds. He also placed in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Malibu Stakes (Grade 1) and Pat O'Brien Stakes (Grade 1).

Third in his 2011 debut in the Palos Verdes S. (Grade 2), he came back to register wins in the San Carlos Handicap (Grade 2) by a head and the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (Grade 3) by 2 1/2 lengths. Last time, Smiling Tiger finished sixth after a troubled trip in the Churchill Downs Stakes (Grade 2). His bankroll now stands at $1,149,353 from a line of of 16-8-1-6.

"We're trying to win the Breeders' Cup with him," winning trainer Jeff Bonde said. "We'll go to Del Mar, just like we did last year. We might run in both the (July 31) Bing Crosby and (August 28) Pat O'Brien."

Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Rodney Orr, Smiling Tiger made two sales appearances as a yearling. He RNA'ed for $32,000 at the 2008 Keeneland January sale before selling for $40,000 at the Washington September sale. He's out of the stakes-winning Shandra Smiles, who is also the dam of the juvenile filly Pure Smiles, a yearling colt by Orientate, and a 2011 filly by Tale of the Cat. The 13-year-old mare is a half-sister to Grade 3 runner-up Traci Girl and this is also the family of 1986 Carter Handiacp (Grade 2) winner Love That Mac and 1983 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) victress Escaline.

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