Sierra Sunset cruises in Rebel

Phil Lebherz et al's SIERRA SUNSET (Bertrando) easily took command approaching the final turn and drove home a convincing three-length winner of the $300,000 Rebel S. (GII) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday. The 4-1 second choice finished off 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 4/5 and returned $10.40, $4.80 and $3.80 for conditioner Jeff Bonde.

Sacred Journey (Unbridled's Song), as expected, went to the lead early and sped through splits of :22 4/5 and :46 2/5 for the opening half-mile while 2 1/2 lengths in front. The pacesetter tired noticeably as he neared the the top of the stretch, and He's Eze (Silver Deputy) and Sierra Sunset moved right past the exhausted leader, with Sierra Sunset having all of the momentum many paths off the rail under Chris Emigh. The California-bred was 3 1/2 lengths clear in midstretch and was never challenged under steady handling.

King's Silver Son (Mizzen Mast) was last after three-quarters, but swung out five wide at the head of the lane and closed with good energy to be a clear second, 2 3/4 lengths clear of his nearest foe. The 17-1 shot paid $11 and $5.40 while completing the $173.60 exacta. Isabull (Holy Bull) was easily third from midpack at nearly 27-1, paying $8 in the process. The trifecta was worth $2,210.80 and the 2-7-1-5 superfecta returned a healthy $12,885.80 with 10-1 Golden Yank (Yankee Gentleman) another 1 3/4 lengths back. Z Fortune (Siphon [Brz]), the 3-5 favorite, never fired in fifth and was followed by He's Eze, Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop), Stone Bird (Grindstone) and Sacred Journey.

Sierra Sunset garnered his third stakes win, first in graded company, and boosted his earnings to $428,696 from an 11-4-3-1 lifetime mark. The bay colt captured the Bay Meadows Juvenile S. and California Cup Juvenile S. as a two-year-old, and most recently finished a good second in the Southwest S. (G3).

The winner was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Marty Wygod and brought $40,000 as a Northern California September yearling. Out of the multiple-stakes placed Toot Sweet (Pirate's Bounty), Sierra Sunset has an unraced two-year-old full sister named Sheer Dream and a yearling half-sister named Lady Minx (Atticus).