Mary Rampellini's top 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park on March 16
Champion AMERICAN PHAROAH invaded from Southern California for the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel on Saturday and was a 6 ¼- length winner over South Florida shipper MADEFROMLUCKY. Both horses are under consideration for a return trip to Oaklawn for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11.
Top 3-year-old males
1. AMERICAN PHAROAH
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile-Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman
Last race: 1st in Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 100/101
Target race: Possible for Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn
Comment: Based in Southern California, the Rebel winner was scheduled to fly back home on Monday, according to Baffert. American Pharoah, in his first start since September, won the Rebel on the front end after stumbling at the start. The race was his first on the road, and his first on a wet track. The surface was downgraded to sloppy one race prior to the Rebel.
:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Fair Grounds | Gulfstream | Santa Anita
2. FAR RIGHT
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Pedigree: Notional-Zindi, by Vindication
Last race: 1st in Southwest on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 91/91
Target race: Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn
Comment: He won the first two races in Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds, the Smarty Jones and Southwest. He passed the Rebel to be fresh if he were to advance to the Kentucky Derby, according to Moquett. The trainer said Far Right is scheduled to work at Oaklawn on Tuesday.
3. MR. Z
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: Malibu Moon-Stormy Bear, by Storm Cat
Last race: 3rd in Southwest on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 90/91
Target race: Louisiana Derby, March 28, Fair Grounds
Comment: Lukas is debating removing blinkers for the Louisiana Derby, and the horse worked in company without the equipment Monday, finishing about a half-length in front of the rail-situated Majestico on a foggy morning. Mr. Z went five furlongs in 1:02. Majestico is being pointed for the Transylvania at Keeneland.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
4. I SPENT IT
Trainer: Anthony Dutrow
Pedigree: Super Saver-Rateeba, Sky Mesa
Last race: 6th in Champagne on Oct. 4 at Belmont
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 59/85
Target race: Allowance on March 18 at Oaklawn
Comment: The winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special has fired a trio of bullet works as part of his preparation for his 3-year-old debut. He gets his season started Wednesday in a conditioned allowance for 3-year-olds and up at a mile. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and Three Chimneys.
:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker
5. BOLD CONQUEST
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: Curlin-One for Jim, Distorted Humor
Last race: 3rd in Rebel at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/85
Target race: Arkansas Derby, April 11, Oaklawn
Comment: He’s caught wet tracks in both of his starts at 3, running fourth in the Southwest on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn and third in the track’s Rebel last Saturday. On fast tracks, Bold Conquest has compiled a maiden win at Saratoga, a close second in the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill, and a third-place finish to Carpe Diem in the Breeders’ Futurity.
Honorable mention: Madefromlucky, The Truth Or Else, Magic of Believing, Private Prospect, Hillbilly Royalty, Majestico, Conquest Curlinate, Poseidon’s Way, Instant Replay
Top 3-year-old fillies
1. TAKE CHARGE BRANDI
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: Giant’s Causeway-Charming, Seeking the Gold
Last race: 1st in Martha Washington on Jan. 31 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 77/87
Target race: Undetermined
Comment: She was scheduled to run in the Rebel last Saturday, but five days before the race was found with a non-displaced bone chip in her right knee. She has had a pin placed in the knee to accelerate the healing process, Lukas said, and is to be rehabbed at Oaklawn. The trainer looks for her to resume training May 15.
2. SARAH SIS
Trainer: Ingrid Mason
Pedigree: Sharp Humor-Emerald Gal, Gilded Time
Last race: 1st in Hooneybee on March 7 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 80 / 82
Target race: Fantasy on April 4 at Oaklawn
Comment: She earned her first stakes win in the Grade 3 Honeybee after being edged in recent stakes by champion Take Charge Brandi and the undefeated Promise Me Silver. Sarah Sis won at two turns for the first time in the Honeybee. As for her final time of 1:46.94 for the mile and a sixteenth, it was the quickest of four races on the card at the distance, the others ranging from 1:47.13 to 1:48.63. Those races were won by males.
3. PANGBURN
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Pedigree: Congrats-It’s True Love, Yes It’s True
Last race: 3rd in Honeybee on March 7 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 78/78
Target race: Ashland on April 4 at Keeneland or Fantasy on April 4 at Oaklawn
Comment: Grade 2-placed at Churchill, she had a less-than-ideal trip in the Grade 3 Honeybee, when third in her second start since last September. She won her comeback race on Feb. 20, and was flattered last week when the runner-up to her, Sweet Opportunity, came back to win an allowance route at Oaklawn.
Honorable mention: Promise Me Silver, Oceanwave, Indian Annie, Super Saks, Bootsy’s Girl, Desert Valley