Lawyer Ron has strong Rebel work

Lawyer Ron continues to train strongly at Oaklawn Park for the Grade 3, $300,000 Rebel Stakes, and on Saturday morning he put in his final major preparation for the race by working five furlongs in 59.40 seconds. The move was the fastest of 40 at the distance. Other horses working toward the Rebel, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds on Saturday, included Steppenwolfer, who breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40.

Private Vow, a Grade 2 winner pointing for the Rebel, is scheduled to work at his Palm Meadows base in south Florida

on Monday and fly to Oaklawn on Wednesday, said his trainer, Steve Asmussen.

Lawyer Ron came onto the track at about 7 a.m. Central on a humid day. Under regular rider John McKee, he worked through fractions of 12.38 seconds for the first eighth of a mile, 24.22 for the opening quarter, 36.36 for three furlongs, and then galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.48, seven furlongs in 1:24.35.

"He galloped out pretty strong," said Bob Holthus, who trains Lawyer Ron. "He felt good when he came back. He was playing around the barn. It didn't take too much out of him."