DAY 16 of 57
TODAY'S SIMULCAST SCHEDULE Aqueduct, 11:20 a.m.; Laurel Park, 11:30 a.m.; Gulfstream Park, 11:35 a.m.; Fair Grounds, 12:30 p.m.; Penn National, 5:05 p.m.; Turfway Park, 5:15 p.m.; Delta Downs, 5:25 p.m.; Charles Town, 6 p.m.; Daytona Beach (greyhounds), 6:25 p.m.
SUPER STEED EYES REBEL
Super Steed emerged in good order from his upset victory in Monday's Southwest Stakes and will return to the track in the next few days, depending on weather, to begin preparations for the Grade II Rebel Stakes on March 16.
"Right now, everything is about normal," trainer Larry Jones said Wednesday.
Super Steed came to Oaklawn a live horse on the Kentucky Derby trail, but his stock fell after subpar performances as the even-money favorite in the Sugar Bowl Stakes on Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds and in the Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 25.
"We knew that he wasn't feeling well when we got to Louisiana, but he needed experience," Jones said. "He wasn't sick, he just didn't feel good. It didn't look like afterward that it hurt him any, so I am glad we did go ahead and do it.
"Then over here on Smarty Jones day, it was merry-go-round racing all day long. We were hoping that it was track bias. We didn't get beat bad. I hadn't lost any confidence in him, but it's one of those deals where you couldn't sell the idea that, boy, we're going to be tough in the Southwest [Stakes]."
The 1 1/16-mile Rebel Stakes is the final major local prep race for the Grade I $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 13. The Rebel will offer 85 Kentucky Derby qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to the top-four finishers.
Information for this report was contributed by the Oaklawn media department.
Sports on 02/21/2019