The Rebel - Oxbow staying home

As an Oxbow fan, this may be good for points!

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Super Ninety Nine and Oxbow are both being pointed to the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 16, their respective trainers said Tuesday. Rafael Bejarano has the mount on Super Ninety Nine, according to trainer Bob Baffert, while Mike Smith will be aboard Oxbow, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.

The Rebel has a large field coming together, with shippers from both coasts expected as well as a vast array of locals. The 1 1/16-mile race can have a maximum field of 14, and at this point Oaklawn is unlikely to split the race if it is oversubscribed, according to David Longinotti, the track’s assistant general manager for racing. Last season, Oaklawn ran the Southwest in two divisions because of overflow entries. The Southwest and Rebel are local stepping-stones to the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13.

Super Ninety Nine invaded Oaklawn from his Southern California base last month and was an 11-length winner of the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest. He has bounced out of the Feb. 18 race so well that plans are to send him back for the Rebel, Baffert said. Baffert also said that Den’s Legacy, runner-up in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis last out at Santa Anita, is probable for the Rebel and that Oaklawn leading rider Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount. Den’s Legacy, who last year won the Grade 3 Generous at Betfair Hollywood Park, races for the Arkansas-based Westrock Stables.

Oxbow’s connections had been considering the Louisiana Derby for his next start. The Oaklawn-based horse won the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds in January, then returned to the New Orleans track last month and finished a close fourth in the Grade 2 Risen Star.

“He’s going in the Rebel,” Lukas said Tuesday. “There’s a couple of reasons. He’s training well here at home in Arkansas. And I’ve shipped him twice already, and I think rather than ship him three times I’m going keep him here and try him here.”

Lukas said Will Take Charge, winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn in January, also will run in the Rebel. Jon Court, who has been riding both Oxbow and Will Take Charge, will be aboard Will Take Charge in the Rebel, Lukas said.

Both horses were out for six-furlong works early Tuesday morning at Oaklawn, with Oxbow going in 1:13.80 in the first set and Will Take Charge in 1:13.60 in the second set. The works were conducted from the 5 1/2-furlong pole to a sixteenth of a mile past the wire. Both horses worked by themselves under exercise rider Rudy Quevedo, on an Oaklawn surface that had some material added to it on Monday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has as many as three candidates for the Rebel. He said Capo Bastone and Delhomme are probable, while the undefeated Park City, who is to be entered in this weekend’s Tampa Bay Derby, is possible. Capo Bastone was third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and last month won a Gulfstream allowance in his 3-year-old debut. John Velazquez has the mount on Capo Bastone, Pletcher said. Garrett Gomez is to ride Delhomme, who was a close third in the Grade 2 Remsen in his last start Nov. 24.

Treasury Bill, who was second in the Grade 2 San Vicente, is being pointed to the Rebel, according to trainer Ron Ellis.

Departing is a Fair Grounds-based runner who is being considered for the Rebel, according to trainer Al Stall Jr. The other options for the horse are the Louisiana Derby and the Sunland Derby. Departing won last Saturday night’s Texas Heritage at Sam Houston with a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Among the locals on deck for the Rebel are Carve, who is 2 for 2, with both of his wins coming at Oaklawn. He took a first-level allowance in his most recent start Feb. 17.

“We’re pointing him for the Rebel,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s a horse that has trained very impressively since his last win.”

The local group also is expected to include Always in a Tiz, Texas Bling, Big Lute, and possibly Heaven’s Runway, according to his co-owner, K.K. Jayaraman. So Raise Yourglass, a debut winner at Oaklawn on Feb. 16, is probable, trainer Ken McPeek said. Since the race, the colt by Bob and John has been purchased privately by the North Dakota-based ownership of Darwin Krenz and his family, according to McPeek.

“He’s got to breeze again next weekend, and as long as everything goes smooth in that process then he’s good to go,” McPeek said of So Raise Yourglass targeting the Rebel.

The Rebel is worth 50 points to the winner on the new system governing preference into the Kentucky Derby if the May 4 race is oversubscribed. The runner-up in the Rebel will earn 20 points; the third-place finisher, 10; and the fourth-place finisher, 5 points.

◗ Channel Isle, an allowance winner at Oaklawn who was fourth in the Southwest, is likely to run next in the Louisiana Derby, Lukas said Tuesday. Red Wings, third in a local allowance won by Carve, is a candidate for the Spiral Stakes at Turfway, Lukas said.

◗ Titletown Five emerged from his second-place finish in the Gazebo at Oaklawn in good order and plans for his next start are still being determined, Lukas said Tuesday. He said the horse has been nominated to a number of races, including the Louisiana Derby and Sunland Derby.

◗ San Vicente winner Shakin It Up is a candidate for the Sunland Derby, according Baffert.

◗ For Greater Glory, who shipped from Oaklawn to run third in the Battaglia Memorial last Saturday at Turfway, is being pointed to the Spiral at Turfway, trainer Steve Hobby said.

– additional reporting by Marcus Hersh and Jay Privman
www.drf.com/news/oaklawn-park-super-ninety-nine-oxbow-part-big-group-pointing-rebel-stakes



Super Ninety Nine Wins SW

It's official - Smith on oxbow - well - he drew outside lol

Rebel Stakes draw: Super Ninety Nine gets outside post
By Mary Rampellini
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Super Ninety Nine will head an 11-horse field Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He drew post 11 for 1 1/16-mile race when entries were taken on Wednesday. Trainer Bob Baffert has given the mount to Rafael Bejarano.

The Rebel will share a card with the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri, which drew seven fillies and mares Wednesday, led by champion My Miss Aurelia, who will break from post 7. Trainer Steve Asmussen has given the mount to Corey Nakatani.

Baffert will have two runners in the Rebel, with Den’s Legacy drawing post 6. The horse is to be ridden by Robby Albarado.

The complete Rebel field from the rail with riders is: Carve, Nakatani; Treasury Bill, Joe Talamo; Texas Bling, Cliff Berry; Delhomme, Garrett Gomez; Hardrock Eleven, Terry Thompson; Den’s Legacy, Albarado; Will Take Charge, Jon Court; Stormy Holiday, Derek Bell; Title Contender, Luis Quinonez; Oxbow, Mike Smith; and Super Ninety Nine, Bejarano.

Treasury Bill, who is trained by Ron Ellis, and Title Contender, who is trained by Wayne Catalano, will be coupled, as both horses are owned by Gary and Mary West.

The Rebel will go as the 10th race on an 11-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Central. Post for the Rebel is 5:48 p.m. The Azeri will go as the ninth, with a post of 5:13 p.m.
www.drf.com/news/rebel-stakes-draw-super-ninety-nine-gets-outside-post

Anyone interested in Hardrock Eleven as a LS play? Yes girls - of course boxed with Oxbow LOL

Super Ninety Nine, Oxbow face off in Rebel


Super Ninety Nine will attempt to duplicate his Southwest effort in the Rebel (Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography)

Hall of Fame trainers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas will each saddle a pair of runners in Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, and one of those four is the likely favorite for the 1 1/16-mile contest.

Super Ninety Nine, one of Baffert's entrants, appears the one to beat off an 11 1/4-length romp on February 18 in the local prep, the Grade 3 Southwest over a sloppy, sealed track.

The chestnut son of Pulpit returned in that spot off an 18-day break following a 3 1/4-length score at Santa Anita in his sophomore debut. He earned a 103 BRIS Speed rating for that Santa Anita optional claimer, and continued in the same fashion with a 101 Speed figure for the Southwest. Jockey Rafael Bejarano was aboard for both starts and retains the mount on Saturday.


Super Ninety Nine's main threat could come from Lukas' Oxbow. That Awesome Again three-year-old broke his maiden at Churchill Downs last November, shipped to California to be fourth in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity on December 15, then returned a month later to dominate the Grade 3 LeComte by 11 1/2 lengths at Fair Grounds.

Oxbow stuck around the New Orleans venue to try the Grade 2 Risen Star last out, and had the lead in the stretch before being passed late in the lane. He wound up only a half-length behind the winner in fourth, and will get a jockey switch to Mike Smith for his Oaklawn debut.

Baffert's other Rebel runner, Den's Legacy, boasts just two career victories. One of those came on the synthetic Polytrack at Del Mar and the other when taking the Grade 3 Generous over Hollywood Park's turf. The Medaglia d'Oro colt finished second in his past two on conventional dirt tracks, the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis, and will get a rider change to Robby Albarado while competing outside of California for the first time.

Also shipping for the first time are the Todd Pletcher-trained Delhomme and Ron Ellis-conditioned Treasury Bill.


The former, a bay son of Dixie Union, owns just three career starts, breaking his maiden at Belmont Park in October prior to closing out his juvenile season with a close third after leading throughout in the Grade 2 Remsen. Garrett Gomez, who's been aboard Den's Legacy for his past six races, will be in Delhomme's saddle Saturday.


Oxbow could rain on Super Ninety Nine's Rebel parade (Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography)

Treasury Bill is also lightly raced with three starts, taking his maiden at Santa Anita in his sophomore bow prior to a rallying second in the Grade 2 San Vicente. The Lemon Drop Kid chestnut will be stretching out past seven furlongs for the first time in the Rebel and brings jockey Joseph Talamo in from California for the ride.

Title Contender will be looking to turn the tables on Carve in the Rebel after being caught by that one in an optional claimer last month. The win gave Carve a perfect two-for-two mark for trainer Steve Asmussen, who's tabbed Corey Nakatani to pilot the First Samurai gelding. Title Contender, on the other hand, has yet to score since breaking his maiden in September. He followed up with an eighth-place run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and an 11th in the CashCall Futurity for Baffert, but has since been switched to the shedrow of Wayne Catalano. The dark bay son of Pulpit will have Luis Quinonez in the irons for the first time Saturday.


Will Take Charge is Lukas' other Rebel hopeful, but was a well-beaten sixth in the Southwest after eking out a neck decision in the Smarty Jones. Behind him on both occasions is the re-opposing Texas Bling, who was next to last in the 10-horse Southwest and second in the Smarty Jones.

Hardrock Eleven, runner-up in a Sam Houston stakes in late January, and Stormy Holiday, fourth in a trio of black-type contests in his past three, round out the Rebel field.

One race prior to the Rebel, My Miss Aurelia heads a field of seven fillies and mares in the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri going 1 1/16 miles. The champion filly suffered her first loss when second in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic and followed that up with a half-length third in the Grade 1 La Brea to close out her three-year-old campaign last out.

The Smart Strike filly will try to get back to her winnings ways in the Azeri in advance of a possible run in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 12, but first will have to withstand the likes of Azeri defending champion Tiz Miz Sue, Grade 3 winner and last year's Azeri runner-up She's All In, and Don't Tell Sophia, who romped by 7 1/4 lengths in the Pippin prior to a 6 1/2-length win in the Bayakoa over the local track.

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