Caddo River likely for Rebel Stakes next, Cox says

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Caddo River emerged from his dominant win in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park in good order and could see action next in the track’s Rebel Stakes, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday.

The Grade 2, $1 million Rebel will be run March 13.

Caddo River was a 10 1/4-length winner of the Smarty Jones on Friday, earning 10 points for the Kentucky Derby. He was given a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 92, which eclipsed his previous best number of 83 earned for a maiden special weight win in November at Churchill Downs

Caddo River was making his two-turn debut Friday, and set the pace under Florent Geroux before winning the mile race that ended at the sixteenth pole in 1:38.19.

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“He ran well,” Cox said. “He broke well. Florent asked him to get forward positioning and he was able to establish that, and was able to finish strong down the lane. He was impressive.”

Cox said Caddo River emerged from the race in “great shape.” He is stabled at Oaklawn for Arkansas-based owner John Ed Anthony, who bred and owns the son of Hard Spun in the name of his Shortleaf Stable.

Cox said after talking with Anthony, the next move will likely be the Rebel.

“We kind of had a plan that we would start with the Smarty Jones,” Cox said. “It was his first two-turn race. We’ll give him time to recover, and probably look at the Rebel moving forward.”

The Rebel will reward its first four finishers with Kentucky Derby eligibility points on a scale of 50-20-10-5. It is the third race in Oaklawn's series for 3-year-olds. The next points race is the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest on Feb. 15. The series closes with the Arkansas Derby on April 10.