The Factor leads throughout in Rebel at Oaklawn
The Factor dominated from the start Saturday when winning by daylight in the 51st running of the Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.
With Martin Garcia riding for trainer Bob Baffert, The Factor returned $4.80 as the favorite after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.19 over a fast track.
The Factor, a gray Kentucky-bred colt by War Front, set fractions of 23.33, 46.77, and 1:10.98 when holding an open lead throughout. The final margin was about six lengths, with Caleb’s Posse, a 24-1 shot, finishing second, about a neck before Archarcharch.in a field of nine 3-year-olds. Sway Away, the solid second choice, was never a factor.
Three of the 13 original entries were early scratches – Dreaminofthewin, Elite Alex, and Glint – while one more, Alternation, acted up badly after being loaded in the starting gate, leading him to being scratched at 10-1. The start was delayed for about 10 minutes because of that incident.
The Factor, owned by Fog City Stable and George Bolton, has won 3 of 4 starts and was coming off a front-running score in the San Vicente at his home track Santa Anita. The Rebel marked his two-turn debut.
The $2 exacta (6-7) paid $112.60 and the $1 trifecta (6-7-1) returned $255.70.
Baffert also won the Rebel last year with Lookin At Lucky.