American Pharoah launches sophomore campaign in Rebel
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday is about more than the 3-year-old debut of champion American Pharoah. It’s a chance for him to get onto the expressway to the Kentucky Derby.
The Rebel winner will earn 50 eligibility points for the big dance, likely locking up a spot in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses on May 2. American Pharoah is in 17th place on the points leaderboard with the 10 he has in the bank for his win Sept. 27 in the Grade 1 FrontRunner at Santa Anita.
The Rebel will be American Pharoah’s first start since then, and he’s not the only champion returning on Saturday’s card. Untapable launches her 4-year-old season in the Grade 2, $300,000 Azeri. The program also boasts the Grade 3, $250,000 Razorback Handicap on a card designed to produce starters for next month’s Racing Festival of the South.
The seven-horse Rebel, a 1 1/16-mile race that has had its purse kicked up from $600,000, also will award its second- through fourth-place finishers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a scale of 20-10-5. The Truth Or Else figures to start as the second choice to American Pharoah, an elite member of Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch.
Trainer Bob Baffert is excited to get the champ back in action Saturday.
“He’s a really exciting horse to watch train and run,” said Baffert, who trains the homebred for Zayat Stables. “I hope everything goes well for him. I’m really looking forward to watching him run. He shows flashes of brilliance going in. You just hope he runs like he trains.”
Key contenders
American Pharoah (Last 3 Beyers: 101-101-75)
* In his final Rebel prep, he worked six furlongs from the gate in a bullet 1:10.40 on March 6 at Santa Anita. One drill prior, he went seven-eighths in a bullet 1:23.80.
“The last couple of works have been pretty good, strong works,” Baffert said. “I wanted to have him prepared for a tough race so he doesn’t get tired. He’ll be ready to roll.”
* American Pharoah has made three career starts, with his maiden score coming in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in his second out Sept. 3. He proceeded to win his two-turn debut in the FrontRunner, scoring by 3 1/4 lengths while covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.80.
* American Pharoah has been flattered since, with Calculator, the second-place finisher in the FrontRunner, coming back to win the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita and Texas Red, who was third in the FrontRunner, dominating the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
* Victor Espinoza has the mount on American Pharoah, who looks like the controlling speed of the Rebel.
* Baffert has won four of the last five runnings of the Rebel.
The Truth Or Else (Last 3 Beyers: 90-64-74)
* He enters off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest at Oaklawn, edged by Derby Watch member Far Right by three-quarters of a length Feb. 22. He had a less-than-ideal trip in what was his first out since November for owner Harold Lerner.
“The [No.] 2 horse in the race tried to bolt into him and pushed him seven, eight wide in the first turn,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “Calvin [Borel] came back and said if that hadn’t happened, he felt like he would have won the race. Even in the second turn, he went wide again, and we lost a lot of ground compared to some others.”
* The Truth Or Else was third in last year’s Grade 1 Champagne and was brought to Oaklawn with an eye on the 3-year-old stakes series.
“I think he’s probably as good as anything I’ve ever had to win the Arkansas Derby,” said McPeek, who was second in the race in 2013 with Frac Daddy.
Madefromlucky (Last 3 Beyers: 87-84-73)
* He is seeking his third straight win after taking a maiden special weight and a first-level allowance, both at Gulfstream.