Concert Tour leads Baffert exacta with sparkling Rebel win
Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour stayed perfect in three starts and provided trainer Bob Baffert with a record eighth Rebel Stakes (G2) win with a scintillating effort at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Concert Tour -- who was exiting a win in the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita Park -- passed his two-turn test with flying colors under Joel Rosario. The son of Street Sense outran even-money favorite Caddo River into the first turn, commenced to set reasonable fractions of 23.42, 47.53 and 1:12 flat with that rival chasing, then drew off in the stretch under a motionless Rosario to win by 4 1/4 lengths.
“He broke very good and I just let him go on with it," Rosario said. "It was impressive for his first time going two turns.
Final time for 1 1/16-miles on a fast track 1:43.18.
With the victory, Concert Tour earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to move into a three-way tie for fourth on the leaderboard. Stablemate Hozier, who was coming off a maiden win at Santa Anita for Baffert, rallied from mid-pack to be a distant second and collect 20 Derby qualifying points. He was followed across the wire by Big Lake (10 points) and Super Stock (5 points).
“That was nice, impressive,” Baffert said. “I’m just happy to run 1-2. That’s pretty huge. I’m just glad they showed up. I just told Rosario he’s fast. I know Caddo River’s fast. This horse going two turns first out, just play the break and do what you think is right. He’s a very, very fast horse. He looked like he was doing it pretty easily, though...This is a really top horse. I was going to be disappointed if he didn’t do what he did today.”
Baffert now has four horses in the top-15 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. In addition to the Rebel winner, he also conditions Life Is Good (60 points), Medina Spirit (34) and Spielberg (13).
Concert Tour paid $5.40 as the second choice. He is also now one of the favored betting choices for the Kentucky Derby, trading at no higher than +650 in futures books in Nevada. That trails only Life Is Good (+350) and is just ahead of 2-year-old champion Essential Quality (+750) and Greatest Honour (10-1).
Out of the Tapit mare Purse Strings, Concert Tour graduated on debut when going six furlongs at Santa Anita on Jan. 15. He returned three weeks later in the San Vicente, where he sat just off the pace and got up late to score by a half-length over stablemate Freedom Fighter. A mid-January maiden win, followed by victories in the San Vicente and Rebel, mirrors the accomplishments of Nadal for Baffert a year ago.