CENTRAL/SHOWDOWN TIME FOR OAKLAWN'S BIG THREE IN REBEL - The showdown of the "Big Three" ended up be a struggle between a terrific twosome as Lewis Lakin's Greater Good rallied to handed previously unbeaten Rockport Harbor his first loss in Saturday's $250,000 Rebel Stakes (Grade III) at Oaklawn Park.

Heavily favored Afleet Alex, the remaining member of Oaklawn's star trio, faded badly in the mile and a sixteenth race while the top two settled the issue. The Robert Holthus-trained Greater Good, with regular jockey John McKee in the saddle, rallied from well off the pace to collar Rockport Harbor in the stretch and win by a half-length. Longshot Batson Challenge closed to finish third and Afleet Alex faded to finish last in the field of six horses.

Greater Good, a son of Intidab trained by Robert Holthus, won for the fifth time in seven career races and covered the distance in 1:44.92 before a crowd of 38,702. It was the second victory in as many races this year for Greater Good, who had won the Southwest at Oaklawn in his season debut.

"I've always felt that Greater Good was a good horse," said Holthus. "Now, he might become a great horse."

Although he failed to win for the first time in his career, Rockport Harbor's effort left trainer John Servis beaming. A nagging foot injury had plagued the colt through his preparation for the Rebel for Servis, who won last year's Rebel with Smarty Jones, who would go on to win the Arkansas Derby (GII) and Kentucky Derby (GI).

"I'm tickled to death," said Servis. "I've never been so happy about getting beat in my life. He ran a great race and will move forward."

Servis indicated that, if Rockport Harbor came out of the race well, he would meet Greater Good again in the Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 16. The disappointing Afleet Alex could also return for the Arkansas Derby as his camp revealed that the son of Northern Afleet was found to have suffered from a significant lung infection during the race.

Trainer Tim Ritchey said that Afleet Alex would be treated for the infection for five days and would return to training after that. The Arkansas Derby remains Afleet Alex's primary goal before the $2 million Kentucky Derby (GI) on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

WEST/CONSOLIDATOR ROLLS, ROMAN RULER DROPS OFF DERBY TRAIL - Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas had blamed only himself when Robert and Beverly Lewis' Consolidator finished last as the even-money favorite in his 3-year-old debut in Santa Anita's San Vicente (GII). The four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer said he simply did not have the $1.25 million son of Storm Cat tight enough for that first start of the year.

Consolidator 's fitness problem was corrected in time for Saturday's San Felipe (GII) as the colt was sharp off a string of strong gallops and a trio of sharp workouts and rolled to a front-running 6 ½-length victory. He covered the mile and a sixteenth distance in 1:40.11 over a "wet-fast" surface, a winning time that smashed the stakes record by more than a second.

"I just did a poor job the first time," said Lukas. "I went after him a little bit more in the mornings, picked up on those gallops. And I just said, 'Look, it's time to grow up'."

Giacomo finished second while the late-running Don't Get Mad finished third. Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Wilko finished fourth in his first outing of the year and Roman Ruler, the tepid favorite, never threatened and finished last.

Lukas said that Consolidator 's next race would likely be the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland on April 16. He won the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (GI) there last fall.

The poor run by Fog City Stable's Roman Ruler prompted trainer Bob Baffert to pull the son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus off the Kentucky Derby trail. Baffert said the colt would be given some time to allow a bothersome quarter crack in his hoof to heal.

"He needs three weeks off," said Baffert. "We've got to remove that quarter and let it heal up and grow back. He's got that bad spot and you're taking a chance when you run him."

EAST: SUN KING ROLLS AT TAMPA BAY, SURVIVALIST TAKES GOTHAM - Tracy Farmer's Sun King, the horse that most observers rank at the top of trainer Nick Zito's quintet of major Kentucky Derby contenders, scored an emphatic victory in Saturday's $250,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs.

The son of 1999 Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic, an overwhelming 1-20 favorite, went to the lead from the start of the mile and a sixteenth race and turned back a pair of brief challenges before he pulled away to win by 3 ¼-lengths before a record crowd of 10,246.

At New York's Aqueduct, Survivalist rallied from eighth to win Saturday's $150,000 Gotham Stakes (GIII). Richard Migliore was aboard the winner, who is trained by Shug McGaughey. Pavo finished second, but was disqualified and placed third for interfering with Naughty New Yorker in the stretch. Galloping Grocer was placed second.

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