Derby News

The $300,000 Gr. III Rebel Stakes, Oaklawn Park's marquee race on Saturday's card, looks much like the Southwest Stakes run here a month ago. The field of ten has drawn the Southwest's top four finishers: Lawyer Ron, Steppenwolfer, Red Raymond and Music School as well as the return to the races of the highly-touted Private Vow.

Private Vow will be making his first start in nearly four months when he goes postward Saturday. The Steve Asmussen trainee has been wintering at Palm Meadows in south Florida since his last outing; a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), November 26 at Churchill Downs. He's had a steady series of works leading into this race, and shipped to Oaklawn earlier in the week for the race. Asmussen will give a leg up to jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who was aboard for the Churchill victory.

Lawyer Ron leads the contingent of runners that are returning from the Southwest Stakes. He went straight to the lead in that one-mile race though he was under stout restraint for jockey John McKee, and managed to hang on for a 3/4 length victory. Lawyer Ron looks for his fifth consecutive victory, and drew the rail for the Rebel, which should aid his natural speed from the gate. The 1 1/16 miles is well within his scope; he won the Risen Star at the same distance by a facile 8-plus lengths.

Steppenwolfer, whos closing style contrasts Lawyer Ron, has drawn the far outside post in the field. A fast closing second in the Southwest, the Rebel's extra sixteenth of a mile should help his cause. He's drawn the services of Robby Albarado, who rode him to victory in both his allowance wins.

Holthus also has entered Red Raymond, who was a good third in the Southwest. A stakes winner at Ellis Park last summer, Red Raymond has yet to win since that outing. However, the Southwest was his first race back since facing Private Vow in the Kentucky Jockey Club, and he looks to be a much fitter horse with the recent race under his belt.

Music School was a question mark prior to entry time, but after a sharp three-furlong workout Thursday morning, trainer Neil Howard put the three-quarter brother to Mineshaft in the entry box. Music School was a slight disappointment in the Southwest, finishing a non-threatening fourth while running somewhat greenly in the stretch. He lost his regular rider, Albarado, for this race, but picks up a solid replacement in Calvin Borel. He figures to sit just off the pace set by the front-runners.

Besides Lawyer Ron, Travelin Leroy (post 2) and Kip Deville (3) are also both early speed horses. Travelin Leroy displaced his palate in the Southwest and was never in the race thereafter. The Oklahoma bred Kip Deville ships in from Sam Houston Racetrack, where he won a minor stake going a mile last time out. Two races prior to that he was third, beaten a length, to Steppenwolfer in a Louisiana Downs allowance race.

Rounding out the field are Nob Hill Deelite, a Louisiana bred who has won four in a row against state bred competition; Well Said, who has looked very sharp in his two most recent races, though they were against much easier competition; and the maiden Film Fortune ships in from southern California for the legendary trainer Jack van Berg.

The Rebel is the tenth race on the card, scheduled to run at 6:40 p.m. Eastern time. The race will be shown live on ESPN, a show that will include tape coverage of the San Felipe in California, the Gotham in New York and the Tampa Bay Derby from Florida. Air time is 6:00-7:30 Eastern.

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