Smiling Tiger has led the west coast sprinting division for the last two years and he confirmed that rating with a three length victory in the G1 Triple Bend Hcp at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

A son of former Swettenham Stud sire Hold That Tiger, he will return to Churchill Downs for another crack at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint later this year.

Smiling Tiger (4c Hold That Tiger – Shandra Smiles by Cahill Road) is racing as well as ever according to trainer Jeff Bonde.  “He’s really turned the corner this year,” Bonde said.  “He was a keyed-up type of horse but now he’s very professional.”

The California based sprinter won the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes and Ancient Title Stakes last year and finished off with a solid third placing in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs.

“We’re going to the Breeders’ Cup with him again this year,” Bonde said.  “We’ll go to Del Mar, just like we did last year, for the Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien Stakes.”

Hold That Tiger (Storm Cat) has just finished covering his latest northern book and will remain in France instead of shuttling back to Australia.

Swettenham Stud sold a controlling interest in him to Haras de la Haie Neuve earlier this year.   Studmaster Alain Regnier instigated the sale on the promise shown by his initial crop of French bred two year-olds.  

Since the sale in March, Hold That Tiger has been represented by the juvenile winners Negrete and Vasco Bere.  He is also the sire of promising colt Hold That Emperor was placed on debut at Chantilly on June 15.

Hold That Tiger was trained by Aidan O’Brien to a Group 1 victory in the Grand Criterium at Longchamp.  Smiling Tiger is the best of his 277 winners worldwide and they have arrived at a 59% strike-rate.