Nadal lasts in Oaklawn's Rebel Stakes, moves to 3-for-3
Pressed by a pair of aggressive rivals through the opening three-quarters of Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes, Nadal proved to be the goods when putting them away and fending off all comers to punch his ticket to the 2020 Kentucky Derby.
First it was the Louisiana-bred No Parole who tried to beat rail-riding Nadal to the first turn. When that one backed off, fellow California invader American Theorem took his turn.
As a result, fractions over a sloppy track went in a swift 22.89 and 46 seconds flat to open proceedings. Nadal, who entered 2-for-2, but hadn’t gone two turns before this Oaklawn Park feature, edged ahead off the turn and delivered trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the Rebel.
"Pretty impressive when they can just keep going like that," Baffert said. "Only the really good ones can do that.
"I was just fortunate that you guys even ran the race, right now with the way things are," he added, with the stands bare at Oaklawn to prevent the spread of coronavirus. "Crazy.”
The final time was 1:44.97 for 1 1/16 miles, and it appeared for a moment that 80-1 shot Excession, running from the clouds, would edge out the odds-on favorite. Nadal had just enough left in the tank under Joel Rosario to keep his unbeaten record in tact.
"He just had another gear," Rosario said.
Nadal earned 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and Excession received 20. Farther back, Basin in third (10) and Three Technique in fourth (5) were others headed up the leaderboard.
A son of Blame, Nadal didn’t debut until running them off their feet Jan. 19 at Santa Anita Park. He returned to win the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs leading into the Rebel.
Campaigned in partnership by George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen, Nadal was purchased for $700,000 out of a 2-year-old sale.
“I’m really proud of him," Bolton told TVG, "because when you go fast early and you hold on and continue, that proves you’re a nice horse.”
Nadal would have made it to the races earlier if not for a fluke accident last summer when loading into a trailer. Now he's mentioned in the same air as Baffert's 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, who also didn't debut until his 3-year-old season.
Nadal made it two likely Derby contenders -- and counting -- for the Baffert barn adding to San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Authentic. The barn will also be looking for a spot for Charlatan, who minutes after Nadal eked out the Rebel won an allowance race back at Santa Anita Park by more than 10 lengths.
"We'll get (Nadal) back here and we'll look at all of them," said Baffert, adding "one of them" will head to Oaklawn for the April 11 Arkansas Derby (G1).