hozier | Horse Racing Free Tips

Here We Go Again: Can Anyone Beat Baffert in the Derby?

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley

The year changes and so do the names of the horses. But the story remains the same. It's no longer about beating a particular horse in the GI Kentucky Derby, it's about trying to beat the stable that has an unprecedented hammerlock on the race. Can anyone beat Bob Baffert?

After this weekend's results, it's looking more and more like that is going to be hard to do. Baffert already had the early favorite for the Derby in the ultra-talented Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who was bet down to a ridiculously low 2-1 in the Derby Future Wager. His win in the GII San Felipe S. had been the most impressive race run by a 3-year-old this year.

But now there is some competition. Concert Tour (Street Sense) ran away from seven rivals in the GII Rebel S. Saturday at Oaklawn, dominating quality horses like Caddo River (Hard Spun) and Keepmeinmind (Laoban). On paper, he looks a lot like Life Is Good. Both are unbeaten at 3-for-3, have won two stakes, and are coming off sizzling performances.

“From day one, we knew he was something special,” Baffert said of Concert Tour.

For good measure, Baffert finished second in the Rebel, a race he has won eight times since 2010, with Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile). About two and a half hours earlier, he unleashed another horse with monster potential. Triple Tap (Tapit), a half-brother to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), romped in a maiden race at Santa Anita and will, no doubt, be heard from again.

Not that any of this was any sport of surprise. What we have now is a trainer who is feasting off of his own success. As Baffert wins more and more races with top 3-year-olds, more and more owners flock to him. As more owners flock to him, the better his stable gets. Lather, rinse, repeat.

He trains for an All-Star team of owners-Godolphin, Coolmore, Gary and Mary West, Juddmonte, WinStar and China Horse Club, SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, Stonestreet, Zedan Racing Stables. His barn is stocked full of the best bred, most expensive horses in racing. No one else's compares.

“You can't do it unless you gets the results and I worked hard at it,” Baffert said. “It took me years and years to get here. My program is to get young horses and try to get to the Classics and Breeders' Cup races with them. I don't train a lot of horses. I like to keep it as a very elite stable. We want to be in all the big races, all the big shows.”

But he is not going to rest on any laurels. The 2020 race to the Kentucky Derby proved that just about everything has to go right to win the Derby. Baffert won split divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby with Nadal (Blame) and Charlatan (Speightstown), Neither one made it to the Derby. Instead, Baffert came to town with two horses. After Thousand Words fell in the paddock and had to be scratched, Baffert was left with one horse. It just happened to be Authentic (Into Mischief)

“Last year I was really strong, but found out how quickly things can fall apart,” Baffert said. “So I try not to get too far ahead of myself. I was strong when I had Real Quiet (Quiet American) and Indian Charlie (In Excess {Ire}) and when I had Point Given (Thunder Gulch) and Congaree (Arazi). But these two (Life Is Good and Concert Tour) are really strong.”

Baffert has five horses among the Top 20 on the Derby points list and all five could make the race. It looks like Triple Tap won't be there. It would be very hard for a horse to make the race after debuting in mid-March. Baffert's 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) didn't make his first start until Feb. 18, but that extra month made a world of difference as it allowed Baffert to get in preps in March and April.

“Triple Tap is a little late to the party,” he said. “It would be a little tough to make the Derby. We want to develop him the right way. If the Derby was in September again, like it was last year, we could do it. I'll have to see how he is in a couple of weeks, but I don't want to do anything rash with him. I can see him winning a Grade I stakes. He's that caliber of a horse. I just want him to develop the right way.”

Baffert said he'd like to get an allowance race into Triple Tap and, since he doesn't think such a race would fill in California, he may wind up running him next at Keeneland.

Baffert will be shooting for his seventh win in the Derby, which would move him past Ben Jones as the winningest trainer in the race's history.

“I don't think about that,” he said. “You just want to get there with a horse that has a good chance. When you go with a horse that you think has a chance to win, it's exciting. If you go with a horse who has no chance of winning it's not exciting. It might be exciting for the owner but not for me.”

At Churchill Downs, he will meet a lot of worthy opponents, a list that right now includes Essential Quality (Tapit) and Greatest Honour (Tapit). So the race isn't over. Far from it. But beating Baffert, never easy, has never looked more difficult.

A Stellar Apple Blossom

The other big winner over the weekend was GI Beholder Mile winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). She looked terrific making her 4-year-old debut, easily beating back the challenge of six others, including the Baffert-trained As Time Goes By (American Pharoah). Her win sets up the potential of Swiss Skydiver-Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) II in the GI Apple Blossom S. at Oaklawn. In their first meeting in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Swiss Skydiver lost all chance when stumbling at the start. She will be out for revenge. Monomoy Girl will be out to prove that no filly or mare can beat her. Could be some race.

Aqueduct Over the Years

Up until 1976, when the inner track was installed, Aqueduct would always open in mid-March after a winter hiatus and New York horseplayers flocked to the track for opening day. Fifty years ago, the opening day crowd, on a Monday, was 40,025. One of the big stories on the day was the increase in price for the Morning Telegraph, which preceded the Daily Racing Form. The price was hiked from 75 cents to $1. But the Aqueduct subway special was still going for $1.

Opening day was splashed all over the New York Times sports pages, which noted that Aqueduct had about twice as many fans as did a heavyweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden. Good Behaving won the featured Swift S, paying $11.80. Angel Cordero, Jr., still around as a jockey agent, rode the winner.

The post Here We Go Again: Can Anyone Beat Baffert in the Derby? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Baffert On Concert Tour’s Rebel: ‘An American Pharoah-Type Run’

Concert Tour and Hozier were to be flown back to their Southern California base Sunday, a day after finishing 1-2, respectively, in Oaklawn's $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds, continuing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's stranglehold on the major Kentucky Derby prep race.

Accompanied by Jimmy Barnes, Baffert's main assistant, Concert Tour and Hozier departed the barn area at approximately 9 a.m. (Central) and vanned 57 miles to Little Rock's Clinton National Airport for a Tex Sutton Equine Air Transportation flight.

Both horses exited the 1 1/16-mile Rebel in good order, Barnes said before training hours Sunday morning outside the Royal Glint barn, which house horses for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert's horses normally ship into Lukas' barn at Oaklawn.

Concert Tour ($5.40) remained unbeaten in three lifetime starts with a front-running 4 ¼-length victory under regular rider Joel Rosario. It was Baffert's record-extending eighth Rebel victory and 16^th in a Kentucky Derby prep race at Oaklawn – all since 2010.

“To me, it was kind of an American Pharoah-type run,” Baffert, via phone, said about 20 minutes following the race. “He was doing it with ease, with plenty left.”

American Pharoah, of course, is the measuring stick for Baffert's growing list of Rebel winners, taking the 2015 edition by 6 ¼ front-running lengths in his 3-year-old debut before sweeping the Triple Crown. Baffert also won the Rebel in 2010 (Lookin At Lucky), 2011 (The Factor), 2012 (Secret Circle), 2014 (Hoppertunity), 2016 (Cupid) and 2020 (Nadal).

Baffert has had at least one Rebel starter every year since his first in 2010. He has compiled an 8-4-1 mark from 15 starters, with his horses earning an eye-popping $3,971,000 in prize money.

“It's amazing,” Barnes said. “Our horses, they suit this track. They run well over it. We just took it to them yesterday, early. If they were going to beat us, they were going to have to pass us.”

Concert Tour, who was making his two-turn debut, was able to clear speedy even-money favorite Caddo River from post 7 going into the first turn and set comfortable fractions of :23.42 for the opening quarter-mile, :47.53 for a half-mile and 1:12 for three-quarters. Caddo River, after breaking from the rail, was glued to Concert Tour's flank on the outside down the backstretch and made a bid for the lead late on the second turn. But Concert Tour had another gear, opened up four lengths in midstretch and coasted home under little urging. Winning time over a fast track was 1:43.18.

“Very confident,” Rosario said. “I just looked at his ears and knew he was very happy what he was doing. Every time that horse came to him, he just took off. Very nice horse.”

Concert Tour, a homebred for Gary and Mary West, received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 94 – equaling a career high – for his Rebel victory. The son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense also received a 94 Beyer for his half-length victory in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita in his previous start.

Concert Tour earned 50 points for his Rebel victory to vault to No. 4 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, according to Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Rebel. Hozier, exiting a Feb. 15 maiden victory at Santa Anita, is No. 12 with 20 points. The Rebel was Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race.

“These horses are just starting to come around at the right time,” Baffert said. “That's what you want.”

Baffert was noncommittal on whether Concert Tour and/or Hozier would return to Oaklawn for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10. Baffert has won the Arkansas Derby three times – Bodemeister in 2012, American Pharoah in 2015 and last year's second division with Nadal.

“We'll get them back here and see how they are,” Baffert said. “I don't make that call until about two weeks before.”

The presence of another top prospect in Baffert's barn, Life Is Good, will undoubtedly impact the decision. Life Is Good, like Concert Tour, is 3 for 3, a two-time graded stakes winner and bred by the Wests.

“It's a good problem to have,” Barnes said.

Next-race plans are pending for locally based Caddo River and Keepmeinmind, their respective trainers said Sunday morning.

Caddo River, a homebred for John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, finished fifth after a front-running 10 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22. The Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“He seems to be OK,” trainer Brad Cox. “At the 3, 3 ½ (pole), it looked like he kind of ranged up, but couldn't get by. Just not good enough. I don't have a whole lot of excuses right now.”

Cox said he will talk with Anthony before making any decision about Caddo River's next start. Anthony has won the Arkansas Derby a record three times (1980, 1987 and 1992).

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Keepmeinmind (sixth) will be considered for the Arkansas Derby and the $800,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 3 at Keeneland. Keepmeinmind was making his 3-year-old debut after concluding 2020 with a last-to-first victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

“Not making excuses, but I was concerned about the track,” Diodoro said. “It started drying up during the week. You see Thursday's times, you see Friday's times and yesterday, and even watching training, it was getting to be like the interstate. I think one horse, C Z Rocket, who exploded down the lane (Saturday's $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes), other than that, I never saw a horse win if they weren't within three lengths of the lead Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Very disappointed. I know he's a better horse than what he showed yesterday.”

Diodoro said a decision about Keepmeinmind's next start should come in the next couple of days.

The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Keepmeinmind (18) ranks No. 14 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

The Baffert-trained Spielberg, runner-up in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 27 at Oaklawn, has 17 points to rank No. 15. Caddo River (10) is No. 24.

The post Baffert On Concert Tour’s Rebel: ‘An American Pharoah-Type Run’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Concert Tour Runs Away From Rebel Rivals

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.

The post Concert Tour Runs Away From Rebel Rivals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Local Prep Winner Caddo River Favored Over Baffert Pair In Saturday’s Rebel

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has dominated Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby prep series the last decade. But it's Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox who has owned 2021.

Cox sent out Caddo River to a record-setting 10 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22 for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. Cox then saddled champion 2-year-old male Essential Quality to win the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 27 and remain unbeaten in four career starts.

It's now Caddo River's turn, again, this time in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), which highlights Saturday's blockbuster program at Oaklawn. Probable post time for the Rebel, the 11th of 12 races, 5:16 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at noon. The infield will be open, weather permitting.

The Rebel is among five stakes races to be run Saturday at Oaklawn, the others being the $150,000 Temperence Hill for older horses at 1 ½ miles, $200,000 Hot Springs for older sprinters, $350,000 Azeri (G2) for older females at 1 1/16 miles and the $500,000 Essex Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

Whitmore, the country's champion male sprinter of 2020, will be making his seasonal debut in the Hot Springs. The gelding has won the 6-furlong Hot Springs a record four consecutive years. The Azeri will mark the 2021 debut of Shedaresthedevil, last year's Kentucky Oaks winner and a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly.

The Rebel is Oaklawn's third of four Kentucky Derby points races. The eight entrants from the rail out: Caddo River, Florent Geroux to ride, 122 pounds, 9-5 on the morning line; Big Lake, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 12-1; Hozier, Martin Garcia, 117, 12-1; Get Her Number, Javier Castellano, 119, 8-1; Twilight Blue, Brian Hernandez Jr., 119, 15-1; Keepmeinmind, David Cohen, 119, 4-1; Concert Tour, Joel Rosario, 117, 2-1; and Super Stock, Joe Talamo, 117, 6-1.

The Rebel will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 horses.

Caddo River earned 10 points for his front-running victory in the 1-mile Smarty Jones, which marked the two-turn debut for the long-striding son of 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun. Caddo River closed his 2-year-old campaign with a front-running 9 ½-length maiden victory going a mile Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.

Baffert finished second to Cox in the Southwest with Spielberg, but returns for the Rebel, a race the trainer has won a record seven times, with a more highly regarded prospect in unbeaten Concert Tour (2 for 2). Concert Tour, who will be making his two-turn debut, broke his maiden Jan. 15 at Santa Anita and won the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita.

“Concert Tour, I just think that he's done everything right and he's worked well coming into this race,” said Baffert, who, since 2010, has 15 victories in Kentucky Derby prep races at Oaklawn. “I think Caddo River is definitely the horse to beat. Cox is tough right now. He's got some nice horses and does a great job. And Keepmeinmind ran a great race in the Breeders' Cup. He's a good horse. You want to move forward. You just want to make a forward progression. They have to run first or second, to me. They've got to run first or second.”

Caddo River had been based at Oaklawn before Cox moved the colt to Fair Grounds Feb. 11, shortly before severe winter weather shuttered Oaklawn for almost two weeks. Remaining on a regular work schedule, Caddo River breezed four times at Fair Grounds before returning to Hot Springs Wednesday. Caddo River was able to clear his rivals from the extreme outside (post 7) going into the first turn of the Smarty Jones and now gets the rail for the Rebel.

“We'll see how it goes,” Cox said. “He's doing great. We couldn't ask him to be training any better. He hasn't missed anything. He's on a great schedule and training like the part.”

Caddo River's resume has been flattered in recent weeks. Smarty Jones runner-up Cowan finished a troubled second in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby Feb. 20 in Saudi Arabia and Greatest Honour, who twice finished behind Caddo River in maiden races last fall in New York, won the $200,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Jan. 30 and the $300,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) Feb. 27. Both races were at Gulfstream Park.

“It's nice to see that horse has been kind of dominating the south Florida circuit,” Cox said. “He's run twice and obviously he's moved forward. I think we've moved forward as well. It gives us confidence, for sure.”

Baffert won the 2020 Rebel with Nadal, who also entered 2 for 2 after breaking his maiden sprinting in January at Santa Anita and winning the San Vicente. Concert Tour stalked the pace in the San Vicente and Baffert called Saturday's post position “fine.”

“My horses always seem to draw the rail,” Baffert said. “I draw it so much. It's one of those things, they still have to get away cleanly. Spielberg had a nice outside post and it ended up a horrendous break. No fault of anybody's, but he just moved at the last minute. They still have to get away from there and break cleanly and get into the race. You just want to get them into a nice rhythm where they can breathe easily and not get stopped.”

Late-running Keepmeinmind will be making his first start since breaking his maiden with a last-to-first victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. Prior to the Kentucky Jockey Club, Keepmeinmind finished third to Essential Quality in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland and second to Essential Quality in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland.

Keepmeinmind was to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest, which was originally scheduled to be run Feb. 15 before the race was postponed twice because of severe winter weather. Robertino Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer last year, opted to pass the delayed Southwest and point for the Rebel after Keepmeinmind's training schedule was interrupted by snow and bitter cold. Keepmeinmind has been based at Oaklawn since late December.

“I like the draw, the post, I like everything about it, to be honest,” Diodoro said. “No complaints. My famous saying is the race is run on dirt, not paper, but on paper it looks like more pace than I predicted to be in there. I like what the race looks like.”

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind will carry the silks of famed Spendthrift Farm for the first time in the Rebel after it recently purchased an interest in the son of Laoban.

Grade 1 winner Get Her Number will be making his 3-year-old debut for Southern California-based trainer Peter Miller. Super Stock ran third in the Breeders' Futurity for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10. Nadal won the second division of last year's Arkansas Derby.

Baffert also won the Rebel in 2010 (Lookin At Lucky), 2011 (The Factor), 2012 (Secret Circle), 2014 (Hoppertunity), 2015 (American Pharoah) and 2016 (Cupid).

The post Local Prep Winner Caddo River Favored Over Baffert Pair In Saturday’s Rebel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post