Rebel Stakes Proved Lesson in Adversity for Reincarnate

The Rebel Stakes (G2) was viewed as a learning opportunity for Reincarnate .

Little did the connections of the graded stakes-winning 3-year-old know that their colt would receive a Ph. D. in adversity during the Feb. 25 Kentucky Derby (G1) prep at Oaklawn Park.

Sent off as the 9-2 third choice in a field of 11, the grade 3 winner was in the midst of a solid rally from ninth in mid-stretch when he was squeezed between horses on the sloppy, sealed track. Though his momentum came to an abrupt halt as he was checked, jockey John Velazquez was able to put the son of Good Magic   back in gear and the colt finished third, 2 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Confidence Game  in a performance that generated more optimism than disappointment.

"I am very proud of him," said Tom Ryan of SF Racing, managing partner of Reincarnate's large ownership group. "We thought we were going to learn something about him in the Rebel and we wound up learning much more than we expected. He overcame an enormous amount of adversity, ran strongly to the wire, and came back with a lot of energy."

After he was shuffled to the back of the pack at the start, Reincarnate lost all chance in the final furlong when his running lane disappeared as Bourbon Bash  drifted out from inside of him and Red Route One  closed quickly outside of him. Red Route One, who finished second, bumped with Reincarnate and Velazquez claimed foul against him, but the stewards took no action as the main culprit appeared to be Bourbon Bash, who wound up fifth.

"Twenty minutes after the race, Johnny V called me and told me he was knocked sideways," Ryan said. "He said it was a great sign that a horse of his size could get bumped like that and still run hard at the end. He made Johnny a believer in him and we came out of the race defeated but beaming with pride."

Owned by SF, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan and making his first start for trainer Tim Yakteen, Reincarnate picked up 15 Derby qualifying points and ranks 14th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. 

The California-based Reincarnate had won the Sham Stakes (G3) for trainer Bob Baffert in his previous start, but with Baffert's horses ineligible to run in the Kentucky Derby, the switch to Yakteen became necessary so that the colt bred by Woods Edge Farm in Kentucky could begin to accrue qualifying points for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

With 15 points unlikely to crack the Top 20 when all the preps are completed, a top two or three finish in his yet-to-be-determined final prep likely will be needed to keep him on track for Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

"The options are open for him. We'll see how he trains and then decide if he returns to Arkansas (for the April 1 Arkansas Derby, G1) or stays at home for the Santa Anita Derby (G1, April 8 at Santa Anita Park)," Ryan said. "Trying to get to the Kentucky Derby is like a game of musical chairs right now."

A winner of two of six starts with three seconds and one third, Reincarnate was bought for $775,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Video: Rebel S. (G2)