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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.

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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).

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Baffert Seeks Eighth Rebel Win

Bob Baffert is dangerous at any track he runs at, but he seems to have a special affinity for Oaklawn, especially in the GII Rebel S. The Hall of Famer has won that event seven times, saddling the likes of Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Factor (2011), Secret Circle (2012), Hoppertunity (2014), Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (2015), Cupid (2016) and Nadal (2020). All of those horses went on to be Grade I winners and stallions and undefeated Concert Tour (Street Sense) looks to add his name to that illustrious list Saturday in Hot Springs.

Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off his impressive debut win at Santa Anita Jan. 15, the bay captured the seven-panel GII San Vicente S. next out there Feb. 6. The Gary and Mary West homebred breezed a six-panel bullet in 1:11 2/5 (1/11) in Arcadia Mar. 6. He makes his first attempt at two turns here, but is bred to relish a route of ground.

Caddo River (Hard Spun) demolished the field in his last starts and looks to continue that roll as he steps up to graded company here. Runner-up in his first two attempts going seven panels in New York this fall, the dark bay broke through with a 9 1/2-length graduation going a mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 15. He repeated next out with a front-running 10 1/4-length tour de force in the Smarty Jones S. in Hot Springs Jan. 22.

Runner-up in his off-the-turf unveiling at Churchill Sept 2, Keepmeinmind (Laoban) checked in second to champion Essential Quality (Tapit) next out in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 3. Completing the trifecta behind that rival in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile there Nov. 6, the bay closed from well back to earn his diploma in Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 28, after which Spendthrift Farm bought in.

Get Her Number (Dialed In) makes his first start here since capturing the GI American Pharoah S. Sept. 26. Breaking his maiden first out sprinting on the turf at Del Mar Aug. 14, the bay set the pace before tiring to fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. there Sept. 7. Switched to the main track at Santa Anita next out, he scored a narrow victory in the American Pharoah.

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Cohen: Keepmeinmind ‘One Of The Top Two I’ve Ever Sat On’

The only time David Cohen hasn't ridden Keepmeinmind was the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland. Cohen was still in the race, though, choosing to ride another horse for his main client, 2019 Oaklawn training champion Robertino Diodoro.

Cohen was aboard Dreamer's Disease, who was part of a torrid early pace in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile before tiring to finish sixth, 9 ¾ lengths behind powerful winner Essential Quality. Those same hot fractions helped Diodoro's other entrant, Keepmeinmind, finish third, beaten two lengths, after being last of 14 through a half-mile in a lively :45.31.

In retrospect, Cohen recalled several months later, it was a case of zigging when he should have zagged.

“I did have the choice,” Cohen said. “I have amnesia when it came to that, really. We worked them against each other a couple of times and this guy (Keepmeinmind) couldn't keep up with the other one. The other one was outworking him. Worked them both, rode them both.”

Cohen will be back aboard Keepmeinmind, when he makes his long-awaited 3-year-old debut in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Saturday at Oaklawn. Keepmeinmind, a late-running son of Laoban, was among eight horses entered Tuesday for the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, Oaklawn's third of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Cohen, Oaklawn's leading jockey in 2019, rode Keepmeinmind three times last year, including a last-to-first maiden-breaking victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs in his last start. Prior to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Keepmeinmind finished second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Essential Quality, in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 3 at Keeneland. Dreamer's Disease, ridden by Cohen, punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a front-running allowance victory going a mile on the Breeders' Futurity undercard.

“I've always loved Keepmeinmind, but he was never there mentally,” Cohen said. “In his races, he was sucking back and I knew there was more horse underneath me. And then in the morning, we worked these two against each other and the other one was outworking him. It was a tough decision. I had one speed horse, one coming from behind.”

Cohen said his Breeders' Cup choice was made easier because both horses raced for their breeder, Southern Equine Stable LLC, adding it indicated he would ride both back – even if Dreamer's Disease won.

“I think I told them that this horse is better today, but he won't be in a month from now,” Cohen said, referring to Dreamer's Disease. “He got burnt up on the front end. We had like four different waves of pressure. Once one stopped, another one came. Once he got tired, another one came. I was fine with my decision, but it had a lot to do with knowing that I wasn't giving up a mount for good.”

Reunited with Cohen for the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Keepmeinmind was last of nine late on the second turn before passing two rivals on the inside turning for home and the remainder of the field on the outside in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length. Keepmeinmind was the 2-1 favorite after going off 52-1 in the Breeders' Futurity and 30-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“On paper, there wasn't a lot of speed,” Cohen said. “I probably could have been a few lengths closer going into the (first) turn, but I just elected to get him to the back and let him relax and give us a few more options when it came to navigating where I wanted to go once I sat him down for his run. The issue that we were having with him in his first couple of starts was getting in tight and sucking out of there and then coming with a run. We threw blinkers on him and that seemed to really help that out. Before I sat him down for his run, I could have gone outside of some horses, but I still wanted to teach him something and let him do it the proper way. I probably had two, three extra gears there with him.”

Following the race, Keepmeinmind was sent to Kentucky's WinStar Farm and remained in light training there, Diodoro said, until shipping to Hot Springs in late December.

Cohen has regularly breezed Keepmeinmind in advance of his 2021 debut, which was originally scheduled to come in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn before the race was postponed twice because of severe winter weather. Diodoro opted to pass the delayed Southwest (won Feb. 27 by unbeaten champion Essential Quality) and point for the Rebel after Keepmeinmind's training schedule was interrupted by snow and brutal cold.

Cohen said Keepmeinmind has progressed mentally since the Kentucky Jockey Club and already ranks him with Grade 1-winning millionaire sprinter Proud Tower Too as the best horse he's ridden in his career. Cohen rode his first winner in 2004 and guided Golden Ticket to victory (dead-heat) in the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds in 2012 at Saratoga.

“Seeing him develop and being part of his early career, before he's ever run, a lot of times you get on these horses when they're already good,” Cohen said. “But the way he's doing it, and does it so effortlessly, he's still not even at his full potential. I've got to think he's one of the top two I've ever sat on.”

The Rebel is one of 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.

Racing begins Saturday at noon (Central), with probable post time for the Rebel, the 11th of 12 races, 5:16 p.m. The infield will be open, weather permitting.

The projected Rebel field from the rail out: Caddo River, Florent Geroux to ride, 122 pounds; Big Lake, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117; Hozier, Martin Garcia, 117; Get Her Number, Javier Castellano, 119; Twilight Blue, Brian Hernandez Jr., 119; Keepmeinmind, David Cohen, 119; Concert Tour, Joel Rosario, 117; and Super Stock, Joe Talamo, 117.

The Rebel will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters. Keepmeinmind has 18 points to rank 12th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, according to Churchill Downs.

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

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