Kentucky Derby Road: Feb. 23 Rebel Stakes, Hyacinth Stakes
 

G2 Rebel Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile

Coal Battle upended the Rebel at 11-1 odds after a patient ride by Juan Vargas. Madaket Road (5-1) broke on top of the 13-horse field under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and motored through splits of 22.47, 45.72 and 1:10.94 heading into the far turn. Innovator and Smoken Wicked were closest to the pacesetter initially, while Coal Battle bided his time in fifth several lengths back of the first flight. Coal Battle began a serious move in the turn despite being bumped on his left flank. He closed in on Madaket Road in upper stretch and gradually ran by to win by 1 1/4 length. Coal Battle covered the 1 1/16 mile in a nifty 1:43.01. Post time favorite Sandman (5-2) broke well but soon found himself far back of the torrid pace. He did his best running in the latter stages of the race after coming into the stretch five wide and closed strongly to finish third a half-length behind Madaket Road. Publisher (11-1) was fourth, Tiztastic (5-1) fifth.

Lonnie Briley, a veteran hardboot, trains the winner for Norman Stables. Coal Battle was bred in Kentucky by Hume Wornall and Jay Adcock. He's by Coal Front out of Wolfblade, by Midshipman.

Coal Battle earned a 103 Equibase speed figure and a 91 Beyer. Maybe the track was playing a bit fast, or maybe there is talent at Oaklawn in search of big purses. Clever Again won a 1 1/16-mile 3yo maiden special weight in 1:43.48 to start the day; it was an excellent effort as he prevailed by 3 1/4 lengths in a field of 10. Cornucopian, a 3yo, ran six furlongs in 1:09.02 in his career debut and won by 5 3/4 lengths in another field of 10, getting a 101 Beyer and a 107 Equibase. An allowance for older horses at the Rebel distance was timed in 1:42.96 with the winner, Lambeth, getting a 103 Equibase. In the Honeybee, Quietside was timed in 1:43.63, earning a 97 Equibase but only an 86 Beyer. Alexander Helios won the Razorback in 1:41.88, awarded a 113 Equibase and a 102 Beyer.

Winning trainer Lonnie Briley: "I was really worried about the one hole with so many horses in the race. Juan did a great job. He ran big and caught the lead horse and went by. We plan on going to the Arkansas Derby. And we figured the speed would have went, but we didn’t want him to get too far back. So, he had him in perfect position and he moved him at the right time. I always give him (Coal Battle) a little three-eighths before his race, and it’s like that’s where he wants to be. He ran big. He opened up on the field and he caught the lead horse and went by him. What can I say? You couldn’t ask for more.”

Winning jockey Juan Vargas: “My plan was just to follow the leaders. At the three-eighths pole, I began to move and he just took off. He responded. I was so happy with that. I knew I had horse, but (Madaket Road) just kept running. Around the sixteenth pole, my horse started to put his neck in front and I knew I had more horse today and he ran well to the finish line. It’s the best race he’s ever run. The field was stronger than his previous races, for sure. There were some nice horses, horses that can run. He showed that he can run, too.”

Second-place jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Madaket Road): “That (going to the lead) was the plan. I was so close. He was running down the lane, but that other horse was coming. I’m happy. My horse ran a big race.”

Third-place jockey Cristian Torres (Sandman): “We had the trip we wanted. They were definitely flying around. They were rolling. He’s an easy horse to ride. I just put my hands down and let him do his thing. When I asked him, he was there for me. We had to go wide on the (second) turn because when we started making our move, the horses in front of me were just stopping. I had to go wide, but he made his move. He shows up every time. Definitely, the longer the better for him.”

Tenth-place jockey Rafael Bejarano (Speed King): “No excuses. The horse broke clean, beautiful. I knew those two horses (Madaket Road and Innovator) were going to go to the lead, so I tried to save ground. Took a hold a little bit to save a little bit of horse, but at the half-mile pole, they were going too fast. He kind of got tired a little bit in the end.”Hyacinth Stakes, 1,600 Meters (about 1 Mile)


Hyacinth Stakes, 1,600 Meters (About 1 Mile)

Overcoming a slow start, odds-on favorite Luxor Cafe circled the field en route to a half-length victory over Promised Gene at Tokyo Racecourse. Vilja Lied set a brisk early pace going the first three furlongs in 35.60 and four in 48.80, followed most closely by Danon Figo and Ecoro Azel in the field of 10. None of those were around at the end of the race. Don in the Mood, who was fourth in the early running, finished third, beaten two lengths, followed by Admire Daytona another 1 1/4 length back in fourth. Dragon was fifth. The 1,600 meter (about 1 mile) race was timed in 1:37.60. Rachel King was on board Luxor Cafe for trainer Noriyuki Hori. The winner is owned by Koichi Nishikawa and was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt & Westerberg Ireland ULC. Luxor King is a son of American Pharoah out of Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready. The listed Hyacinth Stakes is worth points on a scale of 30-15-9-6-3 on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Don in the Mood and Admire Daytona are not nominees to the Triple Crown but may be late-nominated for a fee of $6,000.