Nadal's game Rebel win leaves connections impressed

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Nadal won a dogfight of a Rebel on Saturday at Oaklawn Park and on Sunday, his trainer, Bob Baffert, was pleased with how the undefeated colt has emerged from the Grade 2, $1 million race.

Nadal withstood significant pace pressure for a three-quarter length win, picking up 50 points for the Kentucky Derby. The start was his first at two turns, his first on a wet track, and his first outside of his base of Southern California. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Nadal broke from the rail in the 1 1/16-mile race run in the slop, and was immediately hooked by No Parole, the Louisiana-bred bolt of lightning who had won his first three starts by 34 lengths. They went at it through an opening quarter in 22.89 seconds before the Grade 1-placed American Theorem joined the fray, pushing Nadal through a half-mile in 46 seconds. Those two continued through six furlongs in 1:11.38 before Nadal shook that rival, faced a bid from Three Technique, then had more to hold off the closing run of early trailer Excession.

“I was impressed,” Baffert said. “When those horses took him on early like that – [American Theorem] was fresh and he’s a really good horse – I thought, ‘Wow.’ That’s a serious speed horse. I guess they didn’t want us to get away with an easy pace.

“For [Nadal] to keep going…He had every reason to lay it down, to get tired. But, he’d been working great.”

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Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes saddled Nadal at Oaklawn.

“Jimmy said afterward, he wasn’t blowing hard,” Baffert said. “He got back to the barn and cooled out really quick. He was ready for that.

“He looks great today.”

Baffert said plans moving forward are to be determined. The Rebel was run spectator-free in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Churchill Downs announced Saturday it's been in communication with health officials about responsible timing of the Kentucky Derby and was to give an update within a week.

“Right now, the Kentucky Derby picture, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Baffert said. “You hear the word postponed. Fortunately, you don’t hear canceled.”

Nadal is one of a number of top Kentucky Derby prospects for Baffert. They include Authentic, the leader on qualifying points with 60. Nadal ranks third with 50. Baffert on Saturday won a Santa Anita allowance with the highly regarded Charlatan, who popped a Beyer Figure of 106.

The Rebel win Saturday with Nadal was a record seventh in the race for Baffert, with all of those victories coming since 2010.

Nadal came into the Rebel off a win in the Grade 2 San Vicente at Santa Anita. He is a son of Blame who races for the partnership of George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen. Nadal was ridden by Joel Rosario.