Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Rebel field comes into focus
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The field for the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel Stakes came into clearer focus Friday at Oaklawn, where potential starters Petrov, Uncontested, and Silver Dust put in works for the Kentucky Derby points race set for next Saturday.
The Rebel will share a card with two other stakes, the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri for fillies and mares and the $250,000 Essex Handicap. Nominations for the three races were to close Friday, with entries to be taken Wednesday. The card generally ranks as the second-biggest of the meet, behind Arkansas Derby Day on April 15.
There are two flights scheduled to bring horses to town for Rebel Day. One from Florida is due Monday, while a second from Southern California arrives Tuesday. The horses will fly into Little Rock, Ark., and van about an hour to Oaklawn. Those anticipated on the flights include American Anthem, Malagacy, and Royal Mo for the Rebel; Madefromlucky and Mor Spirit for the Essex; and Unbridled Mo for the Azeri.
Closer to home, Daily Racing Form Derby Watch member Petrov put himself in the Rebel field after a half-mile work Friday at Oaklawn. He will defend his home turf against what is expected to be a deep group for the 1 1/16-mile race that carries 85 eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby.
“It’s going to come up very tough, very contentious, a lot of really nice horses,” said Ron Moquett, who trains Petrov. “We’ve got some guys shipping in from the West Coast that are serious racehorses. We’ve got a horse coming from New Orleans that’s a serious racehorse. So, you get a very good selection of horses. I think it’s the Arkansas Derby preview.”
Petrov, the runner-up in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes last month at Oaklawn, worked just before Smarty Jones Stakes winner Uncontested on a sunny morning featuring a strong tailwind through the stretch. The track was fast, and temperatures were in the low 60s.
Petrov worked by himself in 49 seconds, under Greta Kuntzweiler. Clockers had the horse galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.20.
“It was a nice, easy work, and it should have us set up,” Moquett said. “If everything stays like it should, we’re pointing to the Rebel.”
Jose Ortiz has the mount, Moquett said.
Uncontested motored through the lane not long after Petrov, working by himself under regular rider Channing Hill. Clockers timed the five-eighths move in 58.80 seconds, the fastest of 38 drills at the distance Friday at Oaklawn. Clockers had Uncontested’s final quarter in 23 seconds and had him gallopingout six furlongs in 1:10.60.
“It was really an amazing work,” said Wayne Catalano, who trains Uncontested.
Arkansas state clocker Jim Hamilton said he could count on one hand the sub-59-second works he has seen over the local sand-based surface in the last 20 years at Oaklawn. Catalano said he was pleased with how Uncontested handled the drill.
“The horse took it very well,” he said. “He came back good.”
Uncontested is now leaning toward a start in the Rebel, Catalano said.
“We’re still discussing which way to go,” he said, referring to owners Harry Rosenblum and Bob LaPenta. “With the Rebel, we don’t have to ship, and he worked good over the track.”
Another race that has been under consideration for Uncontested is the Blue Grass at Keeneland.
Catalano had a memorable morning Friday, as he also had Fair Grounds Oaks candidate Farrell working in New Orleans.
“We had a big day,” Catalano said after training hours. “A potential Derby horse, a potential Oaks horse – both worked today. Beautiful.”
Silver Dust went after the renovation break Friday at Oaklawn, and following the work, trainer Randy Morse said plans call for the horse, who finished fourth in the Southwest Stakes, to advance to the Rebel. Silver Dust went in company under Marlon St. Julien, overtaking his mate in the lane of the six-furlong drill timed in 1:14.60. Hamilton had the horse galloping out a mile in 1:42.
Corey Lanerie, who rode Silver Dust in the Southwest, has the mount in the Rebel, Morse said. Lanerie was also aboard for Silver Dust’s maiden special weight win in November at Churchill Downs. The horse is by Tapit and is from the female family of Stop Traffic. He races for Tom Durant.
◗ Trainer Steve Asmussen said Untrapped, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, and Lookin At Lee, who was third in the Southwest, both remain on deck for the Rebel. Lookin At Lee breezed on a fast track Thursday at Oaklawn, going five furlongs by himself in 1:01. Untrapped is now based at Oaklawn for owner and Arkansas resident Mike Langford.
◗ I Be Jeannie B, a 3-yearold filly by Street Hero who earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82 when second in an optional $75,000 claiming race Feb. 10 at Oaklawn, returns to the Arkansas-bred ranks for the featured eighth race Sunday.