Discreetness Will Start Gearing Up for Rebel Wednesday
Multiple stakes winner Discreetness will probably have his first work since finishing seventh in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn Wednesday, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs said Sunday morning.
Fires is pointing Discreetness for the Rebel Stakes.
After winning the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 18 at Oaklawn in his 3-year-old debut, Discreetness finished seventh, beaten 10 ½ lengths in the Southwest, after breaking from the extreme outside, post 14. The Rebel is also expected to attract a large field.
“I bet it will be one,” Fires said. “I hope we draw a good post.”
Discreetness beat Southwest winner Suddenbreakingnews by a nose in the $250,000 Springboard Mile Dec. 13 at Remington Park.
Strong Race Friday Could Add Black Ops to Rebel Picture
An entry-level allowance race Friday at Oaklawn could produce a starter for the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 19. Owner Richard Keith said Sunday morning that Black Ops will be wheeled back in the Rebel with a strong performance in Friday’s 1 1/16-mile race, which will be his first start against older horses and first since a 10th-place finish in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 18 at Oaklawn.
Trainer Rodney Richards said Black Ops came out of the race with a foot abscess. The Hard Spun gelding, a Nov. 28 Churchill Downs maiden graduate, worked twice earlier this month at Oaklawn in advance of Friday’s race.
“This is a prep race for the Rebel,” Keith said. “We have 14 days left, so we’ll be in good shape there.”
Black Ops is scheduled to break from post 3 under Walter De La Cruz and carry 115 pounds.
Also in the projected 11-horse field are 4-year-old Wolf Man Rocket, who broke his maiden in last year’s $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn, and Charming Deputy, excluded from the Smarty Jones because of earnings.
“It’s a tough race,” Keith said.
Probable post time for Friday’s ninth race is 5:10 p.m. (Central).
Keith and Richards already have American Dubai pointing for the Rebel following a third-place finish in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. He recorded a 3-furlong bullet work (:36.20) Saturday morning at Oaklawn.
“He’s been tearing the stall up,” Keith said. “He can’t seem to get enough.”
Rebel probable Siding Spring, fifth in the Southwest after setting the pace, worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 after the renovation break Sunday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Mark Casse.
The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 16.
Source: Oaklawn Park