Betting on the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park
by Patricia Woo | Mar 8 2010
The $300,000 Gr. 2 Rebel Stakes is shaping up to be one of the defining races on the road to the
Kentucky Derby. Loaded with top contenders like Lookin at Lucky, Noble's Promise and Super Saver, the 1 1/16-mile Rebel Stakes, held at
Oaklawn Park on Saturday, March 13, will give horse bettors an excellent look at how these Derby prospects could stack up against each other in the Kentucky Derby.
Lookin at Lucky, atop many top Derby contenders lists, will likely make his 2010 debut in the Rebel Stakes. Though under consideration for the $250,000 Gr. 2 San Felipe Stakes at
Santa Anita Park on the same day, Lookin at Lucky may now get the opportunity to test his ability on a conventional dirt track prior to the Kentucky Derby, as trainer Bob Baffert seems to be favoring the Rebel as the race date gets closer. Unbeaten as a 2-year-old, this Smart Strike colt was defeated by Vale of York by a head in the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November; he capped off his year with a big win in the $750,000 Gr. 1 CashCall Futurity in December. Lookin at Lucky's graded stakes earnings currently top the list of Kentucky Derby hopefuls at $1,210,000.
Another Derby prospect likely to make his first start as a 3-year-old is Noble's Promise. Trained by Kenneth McPeek, Noble's Promise ran second to Lookin at Lucky in his last outing, also the CashCall Futurity at
Hollywood Park in December. A son of Cuvee, Noble's Promise came in third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November off a three-race win streak which included a grade 1 victory in the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. His graded stakes earnings sit at $648,000 for owners Chasing Dreams Racing.
Todd Pletcher's highly regarded Super Saver is also among the potential starters in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday. Lining up for the first time this year, Super Saver closed out his 2-year-old season by setting a race record in the $191,250 Gr. 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 28 at
Churchill Downs. A son of Maria's Mon, Super Saver was fourth in his previous outing – the $400,000 Gr. 1 Champagne Stakes in October – after breaking his maiden in September; he has earned $133,832 in graded stakes earnings so far. Ramon Dominguez gets the mount on Saturday.
Others in contention for the Rebel Stakes: Cardiff Giant, who is still looking for his first win of the year after two races; Uh Oh Bango, who should be a strong contender after coming in second behind standout Rule in the $750,000 Gr. 3 Delta Jackpot in December; and Dublin, who could not catch Convenyance in the $250,000 Gr. 3 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 and finished second.
Last year, Win Willy upset favorite Old Fashioned in the 2009 edition of this race. Who will win the 2010 Rebel Stakes?
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