Unbeaten Concert Tour draws post 7 in eight-horse Rebel

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The unbeaten Concert Tour will break from post 7 in a field of eight when he makes his two-turn debut Saturday in the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The mile and a sixteenth race that was drawn Tuesday rewards its winner with 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and anchors a 12-race card that features five stakes. First post is an earlier than usual 12 p.m. Central.

Other Saturday highlights include champion Whitmore and C Z Rocket, the first two finishers in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, squaring off in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes; 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil returning in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri; and Tax invading from South Florida to start as the 120-pound highweight in the $500,000 Essex Handicap.

Concert Tour has won a six-furlong maiden special weight sprint and the Grade 2 San Vicente at seven furlongs in his two career starts, both at Santa Anita. Joel Rosario was aboard for both races and has the mount in the Rebel for Gary and Mary West and trainer Bob Baffert.

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Baffert also entered Hozier, a maiden special weight winner over a mile and a sixteenth in his two-turn debut Feb. 15 at Santa Anita. Martin Garcia has the mount from post 3.

Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club winner Keepmeinmind, who is the top 3-year-old based at Oaklawn this winter, drew post 6 and will be ridden by David Cohen. Caddo River, winner of the Smarty Jones in January at Oaklawn, will start from the rail under Florent Geroux.

The complete field from the rail, with riders, is: Caddo River, Geroux; Big Lake, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Hozier, Garcia; Get Her Number, Javier Castellano; Twilight Blue, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Keepmeinmind, Cohen; Concert Tour, Rosario; and Super Stock, Joe Talamo.

The second- through fourth-place finishers in the Rebel will also receive Kentucky Derby points, on a scale of 20-10-5.

The Rebel goes as the 11th race with a post of 5:16 p.m. Central.

The forecast for Saturday is a high of 63 degrees and a 50 percent chance of rain showers, according to The Weather Channel. The infield is scheduled to be open.