The $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park is among the races under consideration for Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Timberlake ‘s 3-year-old debut, trainer Brad Cox said Jan. 31.
The 1 1/16-mile Rebel is Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby (G1) points race, a four-race series that culminates with the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 30.
“He’s pointing for it,” Cox said. “We’ve got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he’s doing well. Hopefully, we can get him there.”
Timberlake, a son of Into Mischief who races for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm, has not started since finishing fourth in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Based at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Timberlake returned to the work tab Jan. 20, covering three furlongs in :36 1/5. He breezed a half-mile in :49 1/5 Jan. 28 and another half-mile in :48 3/5 Feb. 3. Cox said the Rebel’s distance is appealing for Timberlake, who has never won around two turns and will be returning from a layoff.
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The upcoming stakes at Fair Grounds for 3-year-olds, the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes (G2), is at 1 1/8 miles.
“The other race in play for him would probably be the Gotham at Aqueduct,” Cox said of the $300,000, one-mile race on March 2. “He did win up in New York. He won the Champagne there at Aqueduct, so that could be something that is in play as well. We’ll see how he performs over the next few weeks breezing.”
The Rebel has a record purse in 2024 after previously being worth $1 million.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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