Undefeated Remsen S. (G2) winner ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) will make
his three-year-old debut in the $250,000 Rebel S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park on March
19 instead of the $100,000 Southwest S. on February 19, trainer John Servis said
Thursday.
“I would have had to rush Rockport Harbor to make the Southwest and there
really is no reason to do that,” Servis said. “At a mile, the Southwest would be
cutting back from a mile and a furlong, and I really don’t want to shorten him
up.”
Servis was referring to the gray colt’s gritty neck victory in the
nine-furlong Remsen at Aqueduct on November 27. The Rebel is at 1 1/16 miles.
Servis had planned to work Rockport Harbor six furlongs on Thursday, but
decided to put the work off until Friday. Exercise rider Bobby Velez will be in
the saddle, rather than jockey Willie Martinez.
The colt galloped one mile under Velez on Thursday.