Comebacking Timberlake Stands Tall in 13-Horse Rebel

Coined a "big league" horse by trainer Brad Cox after his sparkling five-furlong tune-up, WinStar Farm's Timberlake visits Oaklawn Park with a lofty chance in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24. The lucrative Rebel, contested over 1 1/16 miles and the third leg of Oaklawn's series of Kentucky Derby prep races, drew a field of 13. Experienced and lightly raced 3-year-olds alike will vie for invaluable Road to the Kentucky Derby points offered on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. Timberlake, a strapping son of Into Mischief, graduated second time out by 9 1/4 lengths last summer at Ellis Park before finishing second in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Stretched out to a mile on a sloppy Aqueduct Racetrack surface, the colt splashed home a resounding 4 1/4-length winner of the Champagne Stakes (G1) over a field that included eventual champion 2-year-old male Fierceness. Despite working lights out heading into the Juvenile, the colt pulled on his rider and faded to finish fourth behind the victorious Fierceness. Cox gave Timberlake the time he needed to regroup after a strenuous 2-year-old campaign, and he resurfaced on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots work tab in January. "We gave him a little bit of a break after the Breeders' Cup," Cox said. "He had a long campaign, and we were very happy with what he was able to accomplish at the age of 2. (We're) just excited about what lies ahead for him." Normally piloted by Florent Geroux, Oaklawn's current meet-leading rider Cristian Torres has the call. The pair will break from the favorable 7 post to split the field. Cox put the final touches on Timberlake's Rebel preparations in the colt's final pre-race breeze Feb. 16, where he drilled five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13. The weekend before, the colt posted a bullet five furlongs in :59 2/5 at the New Orleans track. "He's really turned it on over the last two weeks with his works," Cox said. "We feel like we've got him about as good as we're going to get him." Points Up for Grabs The Rebel was expected to lure California star Muth, runner-up in the Juvenile and winner of last month's San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, but the Bob Baffert trainee's name was absent at entry time. Muth's absence leaves a wide gap for potential challengers to burst through come Saturday. While the Feb. 3 Southwest Stakes (G3) victor Mystik Dan also is missing from the Rebel field, as his connections have already indicated that they would target the April 6 Arkansas Derby (G1), four of that race's also-rans will return off a three-week turnaround. The Rebel could serve as the redemption race for the Steve Asmussen-trained Carbone. Campaigned by breeders William and Corinne Heiligbrodt in conjunction with Flurry Racing Stables, the massive son of Mitole went off as the post-time favorite for the Southwest Stakes following an eye-catching debut and first-level-allowance score. After contending the early pace in the Southwest, Carbone wilted under pressure and checked home seventh. Asmussen blamed Carbone's performance on a lack of consistent training due to a bout of severe weather that closed the Oaklawn track several times during January. Jockey Isaac Castillo replaces Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons. The Hall of Fame trainer will also be represented by two-time winner Lagynos, sixth in the Smarty Jones Stakes in January, as well as Winchell Thoroughbreds' last-out maiden winner Dimatic, a Gun Runner full sibling to last year's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) runner-up Dreamlike. The hardy Just Steel is also back in action in the Rebel. Second in both the Southwest and Smarty Jones Stakes, the D. Wayne Lukas pupil will be spying his second stakes victory after scoring in the Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. The son of Justify is the 7-2 second-choice on the morning line.