Coal Battle does it again, wins Rebel & berth in Kentucky Derby
Coal Battle made a decisive charge in the second turn, collared pacesetter Madaket Road in the homestretch and dug in for a 1 1/4-length triumph Sunday in the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn.
The victory in the 1 1/16-mile race assured the Coal Front colt owned by Norman Stables and trained by 72-year-old Lonnie Briley of a place in Kentucky Derby 2025 on May 3.
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Even though he finished first in the Southwest (G3) over the same course and distance last month to run his winning streak to three races, Coal Battle (11-1) was sent off as a long shot in the field of 13 3-year-olds. Jockey Juan Vargas kept him in mid-pack while Bob Baffert-trained Madaket Road (5-1) took the field through early fractions of 22.47 and 45.72 seconds.
Madaket Road still led through three-quarters of a mile in 1:10.94, but Coal Battle was coming. He was second racing through the far turn before getting on even terms with Madaket Road and his jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. at the top of the stretch.
With Coal Battle racing in the two path and Madaket Road on the inside, the two of them went eyeball to eyeball until the eighth pole. That was where Coal Battle, who went the first mile in 1:36.44, drew away for the victory with a final time of 1:43.01 on the fast main track.
Briley said he was as much relieved as he was excited about Coal Battle winning after drawing the rail post.
“(Vargas) had him in the perfect position, because I was a little worried about the 1 hole and so many horses in the race,” Briley said. “And we figured the speed would have went, but we didn’t want him to get too far back. So he had him in perfect position, and he moved him at the right time. I always give (Coal Battle) a little three-eighths (work) before his race, and it’s like that’s where he wants to be. He ran big. He opened up on the field, and he caught the lead horse and went by him. What can I say? You couldn’t ask for more.”
Coal Battle held on for second. Post-time favorite Sandman (5-2) closed from mid-pack to take third. Publisher (11-1) finished fourth and Tiztastic (5-1) fifth. The top five finishers earned 50-25-15-10-5 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.
Coal Battle paid $25.80, $12.00 and $6.40; Madaket Road $7.60 and $4.80; and Sandman $3.20.
Sired by Coal Front, Coal Battle was a $70,000 purchase at the Texas Thoroughbred Association yearling sale in 2023. He raised his record to 7: 5-0-0, his earnings with the $735,000 first prize to $1,188,875 and his Derby qualifying points to 70, tops on the leaderboard.