Rebel S. (G2) – Race 11 (6:16 p.m. ET)
Saturday’s $1 million Rebel S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park features a compelling matchup between Caddo River and Concert Tour.
Eight runners are entered for the Kentucky Derby qualifier, which will award points on a 50-20-10-5 scale, and there is some depth to the 1 1/16-mile race.
Caddo River has won his last two starts by a combined 19 1/2 lengths, including a romping triumph in the Jan. 22 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn. The Brad Cox-trained Hard Spun colt will be the speed from his innermost post position with Florent Geroux.
Concert Tour will try to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert an eighth Rebel win. Unbeaten from two starts, the Street Sense colt stretches to two turns following a victory in the Feb. 6 San Vicente S. (G2) at Santa Anita. Joel Rosario retains the mount on the well-regarded sophomore.
Baffert will also send Hozier to the Hot Springs, Arkansas track. By Pioneerof the Nile, the bay colt rebounded from a fourth to Concert Tour in his career debut to break his maiden last time, scoring by nearly two lengths at Santa Anita on Feb. 15. Hozier picks up a new rider in Martin Garcia.
Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner Keepmeinmind will make his 2021 debut. The Kentucky-bred Laoban colt placed behind two-year-old champion Essential Quality in his first two stakes attempts, finishing second in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and the Robertino Diodoro-trained late runner exits a game win in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs in late November. David Cohen rides.
American Pharoah S. (G1) victor Get Her Number, who was forced to miss the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile due to a minor setback, will return to action from a 168-day hiatus for Peter Miller. After making his first two starts on turf, the Dialed In colt posted a front-running win in the American Pharoah while switching to dirt. Javier Castellano will be in to ride.
Grade 1-placed Super Stock, unraced since a rallying second in the Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs in late October, will open his sophomore campaign for Steve Asmussen. The Hall of Fame trainer also has Big Lake, who will make his stakes bow after recording maiden special weight and entry-level allowance wins at Fair Grounds.
Twilight Blue, an entry-level allowance scorer over a muddy Oaklawn track on Feb. 11, rounds out the field.
