The further we get down the GI Kentucky Derby trail, the more evident it becomes that Bob Baffert will saddle the favorite on the First Saturday in May. The only question is which of his super star colts it will be. 'TDN Rising Star' Life is Good (Into Mischief) kept his unbeaten record in tact with a dominant score in the GII San Felipe S. last weekend with barnmate Medina Spirit (Protonico) in second. On Saturday, Baffert sent out another undefeated colt to a sensational victory in a Derby prep in 'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense), who ran the GII Rebel S. field off their feet at Oaklawn. That victory came about 2 1/2 hours after the Hall of Fame conditioner saddled his first Triple Crown winner American Pharoah's half-brother Triple Tap (Tapit) to an impressive, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut win at Santa Anita.
Concert Tour earned his 'Rising Star' badge with a front-running 3 1/2-length score going six panels at Santa Anita Jan. 15. The bay defeated barnmate and recent GIII Withers S. third-place finisher Freedom Fighter (Violence) next out in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. there Feb. 6, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. He prepped for this with a bullet six panels in 1:11 2/5 (1/11) at Santa Anita Mar. 6.
Away alertly in this first try around two turns, the 8-5 second-choice hustled straight to the front and was joined by 6-5 favorite Caddo River (Hard Spun) heading into the first turn. The chalk was reined in a bit to press from second as Concert Tour clocked a :23.42 first quarter under a quiet ride from Joel Rosario. Caddo River tugged at his pilot, who reminded him to be patient, as the pacesetter put up a half in :47.53. The Smarty Jones S. victor turned up the heat on the backstretch run, but Concert Tour was still well within himself entering the far turn and had yet to be asked by Rosario. Taking off with ease in the lane, the Gary and Mary West homebred was well clear of his foes by the time Rosario took a peak under his right arm just a few strides later and powered home a 4 1/4-length victor over stablemate Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile). Big Lake (American Pharoah) completed the trifecta and Caddo River faded to fifth.
It was the eighth Rebel victory for Baffert, who also saddled the likes of Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Factor (2011), Secret Circle (2012), Hoppertunity (2014), American Pharoah (2015), Cupid (2016) and Nadal (2020). All of those horses went on to be Grade I winners and stallions. Two of them–American Pharoah and Nadal–went on to win the GI Arkansas Derby in their next start and the latter, of course, followed that with a Triple Crown sweep.
“That was nice, impressive,” Baffert said. “I'm just happy to run one-two. That's pretty huge. I'm just glad they showed up. I just told Rosario he's fast. I know Caddo River's fast. This horse going two turns first out, just play the break and do what you think is right. He's a very, very fast horse. He looked like he was doing it pretty easily, though. They slowed up a little bit down the backside. Joel, you could really tell he was controlling the race. This is a really top horse. I was going to be disappointed if he didn't do what he did today.”
“It was a very good race,” Rosario said. “He broke very good and I just let him go on with it. It was impressive for his first time going two turns.”
Pedigree Notes:
Concert Tour is one of two products of the Wests breeding program on the Derby trail this year. The other is his barnmate Life is Good, who the couple sold to WinStar and China Horse Club for $525,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. The longtime owners were represented by three champion colts in the past five years: 2017 champion 3-year-old male West Coast (Flatter); 2018 champion juvenile colt Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}); and 2019 champion sophomore colt and West homebred Maximum Security (New Year's Day).
The Wests' bloodstock advisor and racing manager Ben Glass purchased Concert Tour's dam Purse Strings for $240,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. Her first foal, the now-4-year-old Catholic Guilt (Hard Spun), was picked up by Donegal Racing for $100,000 at KEESEP. He is winless in seven starts so far in his career, but is entered in the first race at Oaklawn Sunday. Purse Strings failed to get in foal to Distorted Humor after producing Concert Tour, but had a Lookin at Lucky colt Apr. 24 of last year. She was bred back to the Wests' GSW & MGISP American Freedom (Pulpit), who is represented by his first juveniles this year. This is also the female family of champion juvenile filly Stardom Bound (Tapit).
Concert Tour is one of 35 graded victors and 79 black-type scorers for his sire Street Sense. He is also one of 18 graded winners and 42 black-type winners out of a daughter of Tapit. The unbeaten colt is bred on the same cross as GSW & MGISP Air Strike.
Saturday, Oaklawn Park
REBEL S.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 3-13, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.18, ft.
1–CONCERT TOUR, 117, c, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Purse Strings, by Tapit
2nd Dam: My Red Porsche, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Wind Chime, by Marfa
O-Gary and Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Joel Rosario. $600,000. TDN Rising Star
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $756,600. TDN Rising Star
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hozier, 117, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Merry Meadow, by
Henny Hughes. ($625,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC,
Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC,
Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert E. Masterson;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $200,000.
3–Big Lake, 117, c, 3, American Pharoah–Resistivity, by Student
Council. ($250,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford;
B-Mike G. Rutherford (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $100,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.70, 18.80, 18.00.
Also Ran: Super Stock, Caddo River, Keepmeinmind, Get Her Number, Twilight Blue.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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