Oaklawn Park: Tapiture must prove himself again in Rebel Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Last month’s Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park was a tale of two trips. Tapiture, the winner, had a remarkably perfect one from his rail post, while runner-up Strong Mandate’s became more challenging with each passing furlong. The pair meet again Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel.
The Rebel field will be smaller, with eight horses set to start as opposed to 12 in the Southwest. There also are notable new players: Grade 2 San Vicente winner Kobe’s Back, Bob Baffert trainee Hoppertunity, and the Street Sense colt Street Strategy, with Calvin Borel aboard.
“I think this time of year with 3-year-olds, it’s the trip, the traffic, how many of them run, how the race unfolds, and how they react to everything,” said Steve Asmussen, the trainer of Tapiture. “It’s a lot for them to do.”
“The smaller field will probably help everybody,” said D. Wayne Lukas, who trains Strong Mandate.
The Rebel, at 1 1/16 miles, offers 85 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, to be divided between the first four finishers 50-20-10-5. The card also includes the Grade 2, $200,000 Azeri, which drew Close Hatches, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Razorback.[bc_video_id:318469:]
Tapiture will be seeking his third consecutive graded score Saturday. He won his maiden in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 30, then dominated the Southwest by 4 1/4 lengths in his 2014 debut Feb. 17. Tapiture broke alertly and was just off the early pace along the rail when his rivals floated outward on the first turn. He moved to the fore into the backstretch and darted home in the stretch for a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98. Tapiture could employ different tactics Saturday when he breaks from post 3 under Ricardo Santana Jr.
“This will be his fourth two-turn race,” Asmussen said. “I feel really good about his two-turn experience. He ended up where he did the other day because of the draw and the way the race unfolded, and he took advantage. The fact that he’s had three two-turn races is a comfort.”
Asmussen, who trains Tapiture for breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, said there are pros and cons heading into the Rebel.
“The concern is back in 26 days off such a big effort,” Asmussen said. But “he is a tremendous athlete. He’s very athletic, and he travels really well. He’s a very graceful mover. That’s what we’re working with and what we’re extremely happy to have.”
Strong Mandate, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful, came into the Southwest off a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a race in which he was saddled with post 13. Things were even worse last month, when Strong Mandate missed the break in the Southwest and got caught up in traffic on the first turn. Down the backstretch, he rushed to the leaders, and around the final turn and into the stretch, he was hung four wide.
“We’ve had two rough trips in a row now,” said Lukas, who trains Strong Mandate for Robert Baker and William Mack. “We’ve got to get away and get a clean run at it, and then we’ll see what we got. It’s very hard to evaluate our horse off of what we’re getting these last two races.
“We know he’s got a lot of quality, and he’s the only Grade 1 winner in the race. He’s got the credentials, but we got to go out there and do it. This is the time of year when they give you nothing, and you have to prove it over and over and over.”
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
Joel Rosario rides from post 4 for Lukas, who last year ran one-two in the Rebel with Will Take Charge and Oxbow.
Kobe’s Back is taking a second swing at two turns after a clear win in the San Vicente, a seven-furlong race at Santa Anita in which he rallied from last. In his lone two-turn start last winter, he clipped heels badly in the CashCall Futurity and finished 10th.
“We want to get him around two turns,” said trainer John Sadler.
Kobe’s Back, who could show speed while stretching out, breaks from post 8 under Jose Lezcano.
“I just want him to be placed wherever he’s comfortable,” Sadler said. “He’s a horse with a lot of ability. I’m not really concerned with where he’s going to be – he doesn’t have to have one type of trip over another.”
Hoppertunity, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Executiveprivilege, enters off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Ride On Curlin was third in the Southwest after a compromising trip. Sheltowee’s Boy, Street Strategy, and Jet Cat have all won two-turn races at Oaklawn.
Jet Cat also has been entered in Sunday's seventh race at Oaklawn, an optional $75,000 claimer for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. His connections said Friday they plan to run in the Rebel.